There's No Party Like a Howard Party

Notorious B.I.G., LL Cool J and Ludacris have all rapped about the week of partying that surrounds Howard University's annual homecoming celebration. Diddy, Jay-Z and Kanye West have performed at the university's free outdoor Yardfest concerts. Venus and Serena Williams took a turn on the catwalk during the annual fashion show a few years ago. Hip-hop celebrities (and would-be stars) line up every October to lend their name as "hosts" for events at nightspots across the city. Add up all those factors and you have one of the key social events on Washington's calendar -- a cross between the NBA All-Star Game, Urban Beach Week and Mardi Gras.

Tailgating before a football game, alumni reunions and parent-student get-togethers are the highlights of most colleges' homecoming festivities, but Howard's is on another level. There are other items on this week's agenda, such as lectures, faculty sessions and alumni brunch and networking events. But for good or bad, the celebrities and the parties -- almost all of which take place at nightclubs off campus and are not sponsored by the university -- have become a focal point. Just ask most of the people cruising down U Street this weekend. They have no ties to the school. They never ran Yard. They've just heard about the parties, and they're here to join in.

In his 2004 single "Pimpin' All Over the World," Ludacris boasted that he'd "jump in the car and just ride for hours / makin' sure I don't miss the homecoming at Howard." He's not the only one. Tour operators in New York are charging as much as $350 per person for packages that include bus transportation, a hotel room and admission to key events such as the Stepshow.

As the popularity of Howard's homecoming has grown, so have the opportunities for anyone and everyone to glom on to it. Record companies vie to have their up-and-coming artists play on Howard's stage or appear at one of the weekend's events. Promoters try to make their names by renting out clubs and lounges and luring (or promising) bold-faced names for "Howard homecoming parties." And while the hoopla grows, Howard stands firm. "We're not allowed to go into contracts with clubs," says Ashley Denson, a member of the Homecoming Steering Committee. "If anybody says they'll be having an 'official' after-party, they're wrong."

They may not be blessed by the university, but there is no shortage of chances to get your party on this weekend. If you want to dance and drink with thousands of your nearest and dearest friends, Love and H2O are the places to be. Republic Gardens and Avenue offer something more intimate, though they'll also feature drink specials and party-rockin' DJs. Looking for some live hip-hop? Don't miss Friday's Yardfest. Here is a list of events; check washingtonpost.com for updates.

Friday

Yardfest. Noon. Howard University. The centerpiece of Friday's activities is Yardfest, on the university's grassy main quad. Though family activities, vendors, food and booths hosted by student groups play a big part in the afternoon-long party, the real draw is the concert, which always includes a mix of top hip-hop and R&B stars and up-and-comers seeking the prime exposure that Howard's homecoming offers. This year's lineup is headlined by Ludacris, who also performed in 2000. Also performing are Kelis, Talib Kweli, Shareefa, local favorite Raheem DeVaughn, Brooke Valentine, Clipse, Lupe Fiasco, Trey Songz, Monica, Biz Markie, Red Cafe and One Chance. Admission is free.

Zanzibar on the Waterfront. 5 p.m. 700 Water St. SW; 202-554-9100. Neo-soul superstar-in-the-making Raheem DeVaughn is representing the District at Yardfest, and afterward he's heading to the waterfront to host Zanzibar's Homecoming Happy Hour. Free buffet, discount drinks, a live performance by rising local rapper Tabi Bonney -- whose forthcoming album, "The Pocket," coincidently features a duet with DeVaughn, as well as catchy joints like the title track, which was in rotation on VH1 Soul this summer. After happy hour ends at 8, stick around for DJ Book's usual set of dance-floor-friendly hip-hop, which is broadcast live on WPGC (95.5 FM).

Bohemian Caverns. 5:30 p.m. 2003 11th St. NW; 202-299-0800. Bohemian Caverns is offering a few different flavors on Friday night, letting Howard alums and party hoppers choose which vibe is right for them. The night starts off with happy hour drink specials from 5:30 to 8:30. At 9, the jazz trio Young Lions -- which has its roots in Howard's music school -- performs in the historic cave-like basement. Meanwhile, the two-level upstairs club, known as Liv, is host to DJs 9th Wonder (of Little Brother and the Justus League) and Cuzzin B. Admission for both floors is $10 but will rise to $20 or so over the course of the night.

Bar Nun. 6 p.m. 1326 U St. NW; 202-667-6680. Just because you're trying to save money at happy hour doesn't mean you have to sacrifice the atmosphere. NV Fridays at Bar Nun could teach this simple equation to many of its competitors: Cheap drinks + free food + great DJs = happy customers who want to come back. Friday's homecoming edition features $1 drinks from 6 to 9, a free (and tasty) buffet, DJs Jealousy and Infinite mixing hip-hop and R&B on the first floor and local singer-rapper-actor-songwriter W. Ellington Felton spinning a multi-genre mix of music upstairs. He'll be joined by frequent collaborator and man about town Raheem DeVaughn. The party is free before 10 with a pass from Southsidesity.com and $10 after, eventually heading up to $20.

Love. 6 p.m. 1350 Okie St. NE; 202-636-9030. Hosting traditionally one of the biggest parties of the weekend, Marc Barnes's Northeast club is always packed (sometimes painfully so) with folks dressed to impress the dressed-to-impress crowd. All four floors of the club will be poppin' off with DJs and special guests; expect lots of wallflowers to be craning their necks, scanning the VIP areas for celebrities. Love's PR people are coy about hosts, but note that Barnes recently threw a party with Diddy at Lima. Hmm. Think that's a hint? Tickets for Love started at $20 for general admission and $70 for VIP, which allow expedited entry and access to extra areas, but they climbed to $40 and $80, respectively, by press time. Though you can get tickets for Love's Friday and Saturday (Ludacris) events at Ticketmaster, Love's other ticketing partner, Groove Tickets, has two-day passes for $60. Doors open at 6, but it probably won't be too busy until after 8.

Avenue. 6 p.m. 649 New York Ave. NW; 202-347-8100. Veteran promoters Mad Power Unit are throwing a number of parties on homecoming weekend and shifting the focus of weekly events to capitalize on all the partygoers in town. The usual Opium party at Avenue, for example, has been changed to "Black Friday" -- guests are asked to wear all-black outfits -- though Opium's crowd-pleasing open bar and free buffet haven't gone anywhere. There's no catch for either: Show up between 6 and 8 and order whatever you want, whether it's a Stoli martini or a bottle of Heineken. At midnight, the hosts unveil an appetizer buffet, which disappears pretty quickly. Passes for free admission before 11 are available at MadPowerUnit.com, but remember, if you're still in line at that point, it's no longer free.

Felix. 7 p.m. 2406 18th St. NW; 202-483-3549. Tired of $50 cover charges, waiting in lines at huge clubs and dealing with crushing crowds, a team of event promoters from Philadelphia is launching "The Reunion" at the adjacent Felix and Spy lounges in Adams Morgan. This new event, they say, is an attempt to "reclaim the spirit of Howard homecoming" by making it more about the party than the bling, though you still have to dress up. Can't argue with the logic: Free admission from 7 to 11 if you RSVP by e-mailing homecomingrsvp@teambbc.com and free food before 10, and the hosts will collect money for the Howard University Scholarship Fund.