If you want to add a dash of humor to your school’s homecoming celebration, consider planning a mock homecoming court. These hilarious events poke fun at the traditions surrounding homecoming.
However, to make a mock court funny, you’ll need to come up with some great ideas, do some careful planning, and be sure to be sensitive to people’s feelings.
Fun Ideas for Mock Courts
Homecoming is full of traditional events, and it can be fun to break out of that rut with a mock court. There are a few ways you can add a funny twist to the typical homecoming court.
Homecoming Court in Costume
Sure, the court will be dressed in evening wear for the formal homecoming events, but there’s no reason they can’t make a hilarious entrance at a pep rally. Instead of wearing tuxes and gowns, they can get some serious laughs by dressing as their favorite not-so-glamourous couples.
The announcer can introduce this mock court as they arrive. The humor comes from the contrast between what everyone is expecting to see and the show the court is actually presenting.
Try some of these fun ideas:
- Cavemen and cave women, including characters from The Flintstones
- Farmers and their wives, or girls dressed as farmers and guys dressed as livestock
- Grocery store cashiers and baggers
- Famous cartoon couples like Mickie and Minnie Mouse or Tom and Jerry
This fun video highlights a mock court making its entrance in costume:
Football Player Homecoming “Princesses”
Right from the start, there’s something pretty funny about seeing your school’s senior football players in formal gowns. In this type of mock court, cross-dressing guys put on a show for the school and then have a competition.
Finally, there’s the crowning of the queen or princess, with the dramatic antics of poor losers and disappointed runners up. The “queen” can flaunt her new tiara and title to the cheers of the student body.
Try some of these ideas for this type of mock court:
- Have an announcer read funny profiles of each potential princess.
- Invent special stage names for the contestants.
- Hold a dance-off or lip sync as part of the competition.
- Have the student body elect the winner by cheering the loudest for their favorite contestant.
- Consider having a girls’ version of this event with the female members of the homecoming court dressing as football players.
The following video shows a funny mock crowning of the winners of this type of court:
Teachers Involved in a Homecoming Court
Another fun idea is to have each member of the homecoming court enter the auditorium or gym during a pep rally, escorted by a favorite teacher.
As the announcer introduces each candidate and plays dance music, the potential king or queen must perform some awesome dance moves in front of the school. Meanwhile, the teacher will mock those moves, getting some serious laughs from the student body.
Try these ideas to make this type of mock court great:
- Keep up the charade by having the teachers pose as members of the court and do a group photo.
- Consider having the teachers wear clothing to match the court members.
- Have the school cheer for the teacher with the best moves and award a crown to that teacher.
Organizing a Mock Court
If a mock court sounds like a fun idea for your school, get ready to put in some effort on planning. Some ideas take more work than others, but you’ll want to start the process at least a couple of weeks before homecoming week.
Talk to School Officials
The first thing to do is to make sure your school is on board with the idea of a mock court. Present your idea to the student council and your school leadership and listen to any concerns they might have. Agree on a vision for the event before you really start planning.
Discuss Your Ideas With Those Involved
Because the members of the court need to be comfortable getting laughed at, it’s important to make sure they agree with the plan. It takes some serious confidence to get up in front of the whole school, and you have to find an idea that everyone likes.
Decide on a Time and Place
Usually, mock homecoming courts happen as part of a pep rally. That way, the entire school is in attendance.
Schools sometimes hold the mock court just before the big homecoming game so parents and community members can get in on the fun. Either way, make sure everyone agrees with your location and time.
Rehearse the Performance
No matter what kind of mock court you choose to do, be sure to run through the event at least a couple of times before the big performance. Try to have at least one dress rehearsal if you’ll be using costumes.
Be Sensitive to People’s Feelings
The most important thing to remember as you plan a mock court is that the whole point is to mock the tradition and formality of homecoming, not to mock the people involved. Keep these tips in mind to make sure your event is in good taste:
- Don’t dress up as or make fun of real people in your school. This can lead to hurt feelings and make people feel singled out.
- Think twice about holding a gender-bending mock court, especially if there are transgender people in your community. It’s important that the event isn’t intolerant of alternative lifestyles.
- Avoid making any negative or derogatory remarks about the homecoming court. It’s tempting to have a “roast” in which the court members are mocked by an announcer, but this can lead to hurt feelings.
- Make sure costumes and dance moves are family-friendly. If you’re in doubt, run your ideas past a teacher or advisor to get a second opinion.
Serious School Spirit
As long as you handle it with sensitivity, a mock homecoming court can garner major laughs before the stress of the big game. It’s a great contrast to formal events and traditional homecoming court and celebrations, and it’s a good way to promote some serious school spirit when it’s most important.
Now for something a little more serious, get tips on what to wear to your homecoming dance.