Free food, Sue Paterno, and the new Lion Shrine will all be featured in this year’s “Guard the Lion Shrine.”

On the eve of the annual Homecoming game against Michigan the Lion Ambassadors invite you to come celebrate the rich tradition of the Lion Shrine by guarding the statue and reminding the community of “the history and importance of its honored idol while continuing and encouraging the spirit of homecoming week.”

The Lion Shrine has been the victim of vandalization since its unveiling at the beginning of World War II, and quickly became the target of pranksters from rival universities looking to deface the university’s most famous landmark. Attempts were made to guard the shrine after it was first defaced in the early 1940s, but it wasn’t until Sue Paterno doused the statue in orange paint in 1966 that the Lion Ambassadors created the annual tradition we now recognize as “Guard the Lion Shrine”.

“For Guard the Lion Shrine, it’s about the homecoming tradition, and what has happened with the Lion Shrine with people trying to deface it,” said Marielena Balouris, a Lion Ambassador and the marketing coordinator for the event. “So we want to get the community there and excited about it.”

And there’s plenty to be excited about this year. Sue Paterno will be speaking at the event and members of the 2013 Homecoming Executive Committee will also make an appearance.

Set to perform at the event are some of Penn State’s most celebrated organizations, including The Statesmen — the all-male acappella group — Urban Dance Troupe, Lionettes, Club Gymnastics, Pennharmonics, Blue Band, Eclipse Winter Guard, Ram Squad, and Penn State Dance Alliance. There will also be free food from Chick-Fil-A, Bradley’s, Insomnia, and the Penn State Bakery.

“Guard the Lion Shrine” also includes activities such as cornhole, ladder golf, arts and crafts, and facepainting. And for those of you that dislike our maize and blue rivals from the north, there is even going to be a giant Michigan “M” covered in blue and white paint-filled balloons for attendees to throw darts at!

The festivities will take place on Friday, October 11th at 9 p.m., immediately following the conclusion of the annual Homecoming Parade.