John Tyler Morgan Academy is celebrating 50 years with a weekend full of homecoming festivities. 

Before the school’s homecoming football game against Fort Dale Academy, alumni will be welcomed back to take a tour of campus and then see the changes that have been made over the last half-century. There will also be a tent set up inside the gates of the football stadium for alumni.

“It’s just a time to get together with your friends and old classmates,” said Lauren Henry, 50th anniversary committee chair.

Henry said before the game they will also be recognizing any former homecoming queens that attend and then will welcome back Morgan’s first football team as the honorary captains.

The homecoming festivities continue Saturday night with performances by Selma native Destiny Brown, Telluride and Dallas Dorsey and the Rails at the Selma Amphitheater. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and the show is set to start at 7:30 p.m. Henry said between performances, classmates and family members will honor the lives of around 95 alumni that have passed away with a sky lantern release.

“I think it’s just a nice way of remembering them and showing their family that we miss them and that we miss them at this special time while we’re celebrating our 50th anniversary,” Henry said.

As an alumni herself, Henry said she is looking forward to the festivities throughout the weekend and seeing all the former students back at home.

“We have been talking about this for over a year, and it’s just thrilling that this weekend is finally here,” Henry said.

“We’re just thrilled that there are so many alumnus in town and out of town that are coming back and just really looking forward to a great weekend with all the former Senators.”

Henry said she isn’t sure how many people are planning to attend the events, but that there has been a lot of interest and she is looking forward to large crowds.

“We’ve just had a great response and [people have been] really supportive throughout the community,” Henry said.

“We have been talking about this for over a year, and it’s just thrilling that this weekend is finally here. We’re just thrilled that there are so many alumnus in town and out of town that are coming back and just really looking forward to a great weekend with all the former Senators.”

Tickets for the concert are $20 and will be available for purchase at the gate.