WATERLOO - The University of Waterloo is inviting the local community to help celebrate Homecoming 2009 with a series of events on Wednesday, Sept. 23 and Saturday, Sept. 26.

"No matter what you're interested in - sports, kid's activities, cultural events, talking with an alumus who's also a Facebook VP - you'll find it at Homecoming," said homecoming co-ordinator Jess Voll. "This is a chance to celebrate everything the university has to offer and we hope the community will join us."

Occupants of the university's research and technology park will hold a tailgate party-themed charity barbecue at TechTown, 340 Hagey Blvd, at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday. All are welcome to enjoy hotdogs and hamburgers, meet the Waterloo Warriors football team and enjoy game day music. Tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the event. Proceeds benefit the Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation.

On Saturday, the community is invited to attend various free events, beginning at the Columbia Lake playing fields at 9 a.m. with a popular family carnival. Special guests Brother and Sister Bear of the Berenstain Bears will greet young visitors and a free book is available to the first 200 families. Kids can also enjoy games, bouncy castles and face painting. Student entertainers will perform throughout the morning.

At 10:15 a.m., the starter's pistol sounds for the 24th annual applied health sciences fun run. This year, the run around the campus's Ring Road will honour Waterloo alumna Alyson Woloshyn. The former student leader, community volunteer and Waterloo employee is using her battle with a malignant tumor to spark fundraising efforts in support of brain cancer research.

Renison University College's East Asian festival highlights Korean, Chinese and Japanese culture from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. At noon, St. Paul's University College hosts its sixth annual Pow Wow, featuring traditional aboriginal music, dancing and food.

Waterloo takes on the Windsor Lancers on Warrior Field on Waterloo's north campus at 1 p.m. Free hillside seating is available, along with paid bleacher seating.

Chamath Palihapitiya, vice-president of user growth, mobile and international expansion at Facebook, will deliver a talk in the J.G. Hagey hall of the Humanities at 4 p.m. Palihapitiya, a graduate of Waterloo's electrical engineering program, will speak on risk-taking, entrepreneurship and technical excellence.

A complete list of events is available at http://homecoming.uwaterloo.ca/schedule. Some events have a maximum capacity and visitors are encouraged to register for tickets on the website. Except where otherwise indicated, all events are free. Parking is free in lots A, C, M, N and X.