It's three hours before the Homecoming step show begins and the ‘sold out’ flier hangs on all three doors of Cramton Auditorium. Due to high ticket prices, Bria Charleston won't be there.  

Although she's a senior, she hasn't gone to any of Howard’s classic homecoming events like the football game or step show. In fact, this is her first time participating in Homecoming. She's only going to Yardfest – Howard’s lone free event. 

“I don't think students should have to pay for some events…Shouldn’t homecoming be like a time where students get some type of break from classes and they don't have to worry about money like I'm already paying money to go here? I think I should get some type of break, some pass at least,” she said.

Charleston is not the only one forgoing popular homecoming festivities because of their high costs. More and more students are starting to leave behind Howard’s homecoming traditions in favor of finding affordable activities. 

For senior biology major Leikwaivion Davis, this is his first year not attending the Homecoming fashion show. He says he's tired of paying expensive event costs. 

“Everything is priced very high even though if you total up my student activity fee, it pays the total of what it would cost to attend the events,” Davis said. He continues, “I just don't understand paying an activity fee and having to pay for the activities.” 

According to the Howard catalog, the student activity fee covers the funding of student activities, on-campus health services, and more. Compared to other schools in the area, Howard’s activity fee is on the higher end. George Washington University charges students anywhere from $3 - $48  in student association fees. Last year, there was talk of increasing the $63 student activity fee to $100 per semester, but backlash shut the idea down. 

Currently, the only free homecoming event is Yardfest. Until this year, the university held its annual tailgate in the parking lot next to Towers to end the homecoming weekend. The event was canceled this year, with the university holding Yardfest Day 2 in its place. While this event is free to attend, it is more aimed towards alumni. This leaves Howard students with less options for free activities.  

Students have complained for years about the steep prices of Homecoming events, but there hasn't been much change. Tickets for the step show and fashion show usually run students around $40 each, with the football game coming in at $25 for student tickets. If students are missing their student ID or have to buy tickets the day of, they have to pay the non-student full price of $50.

Although students like Charleston and Davis aren't participating in the popular events, Howard’s homecoming events still have high attendance, even with their pricey tickets. This year, the football game, step show, and fashion show were all sold out—the same as last year. For many students, attending these events is a staple of HBCU tradition. Some don't even consider not going.

“There's nothing like a fashion show at an HBCU,” says political science major Alexis French. She's gone to every homecoming event Howard offers. Last year was her first time attending the homecoming fashion show but the games are her favorite. She hasn't missed a homecoming football game until this year since the game sold out before she was able to get a ticket.  

Not everyone is as loyal to attending the events. Students who can't come up with the funds are forced to miss the paid events or find creative ways to get in. 

Anijah Franklin, a senior journalism major, went to her first fashion show this year and that was only because her boyfriend, who was performing, could give her a free ticket. If it wasn't for him, she says she wouldn't have gone.

“When I was an underclassman, I would often times go to work instead of participating in the homecoming events, so not only was I not paying for it, but I couldn't afford it to the point that I was working instead…because of my financial situation,” Franklin said. 

The University has yet to mention any changes to the ticket prices for the upcoming Homecomings. 

 “Ideally, of course, I would want prices to be lower and more attainable for people like me and other college students, but I think I've reached a point where I'm defeated,” she said.