As Mountaineer fans make their fourth bowl trip to Arizona, they'll find plenty of pre-game activities in Phoenix, leading up to the 2016 Cactus Bowl on Jan. 2.
"Alumni and fans, regardless of where the Mountaineers may play, want to come together and experience the bowl game and activities as a collective group," said Kevin Berry, associate director of the West Virginia University Alumni Association.
Berry said the trip to Arizona - the first since WVU defeated Okalahoma 48-28 in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl - is an opportunity for Mountaineer fans that live far from Morgantown to cheer on the team, including more than 800 alumni in Arizona.
"What's nice when we end up in a place like Arizona is, it gives our fan base out west an opportunity to come support the Mountaineers," he said.
Bowl events begin on New Year's Day, when the alumni association will host a Mountaineer Meet and Greet reception at the team headquarters, the Hyatt at Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, Berry said.
Beginning at 5 p.m., the event will feature appearances by the WVU Pep Band, the Mountaineer and WVU cheerleaders, and will culminate with a live broadcast of the WVU/IMG Sports Bowl Special, hosted by Mountaineer sports play-by-play announcer Tony Caridi. The program will be broadcast on radio stations throughout West Virginia and will stream live on the Internet.
Game day events begin on the morning of Jan. 2, with the Pride of West Virginia, the Mountaineer Marching Band taking part in the 45th Annual Fiesta Bowl Parade in downtown Phoenix.
Berry noted that the parade, which draws more than 100,000 spectators each year, is billed as the largest single-day event in the state of Arizona.
After the parade, beginning at 2:30 p.m., and going to 7:30 p.m., the focus turns to the Cactus Bowl Pre-Game Party, hosted by the bowl organizers.
Taking up a city block just south of Chase Field, the event will include jumbotrons showing other Jan. 2 bowl games, interactive games and a variety of food and beverage booths.
While the pre-game party is open to all fans, Berry said WVU will have its own venue on-site, with a $25 admission that includes a plated lunch/dinner and soft drinks. A cash bar will also be available.
That leads up to game-time at 8:15 at Chase Field, home of Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks, whose principal owner is WVU alumnus Ken Kendrick.
Berry said each bowl game seems to have a unique angle, perhaps with the Cactus Bowl's story being that Arizona State head coach Todd Graham was an assistant coach at WVU from 2001-02, and was head coach at Pitt for one season, in 2011. In that year's Backyard Brawl, WVU fell behind 20-7 in the third quarter before rallying for a 21-20 win.
While many fans will be unable to make the long trip to Phoenix, Berry said a number of alumni chapters across the country will be hosting Cactus Bowl watch parties.
"We're excited for it, and think it's going to be a great game," he said. "We look forward to cheering the Mountaineers on to a victory."
Reach Phil Kabler at philk@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-1220, or follow @PhilKabler on Twitter.