Emporia State’s annual homecoming parade will take place Saturday, Oct. 5, starting at 9th Avenue and Commercial Street and heading north toward ESU’s campus.
The Emporia State Marching Hornets will march in the parade, and the Emporia State Cheer and Stingers Dance Team will perform. There will also be an ensemble from the homecoming musical, She Loves Me. Different groups will give away ESU t-shirts, candy and trinkets. Floats are also encouraged, and in the past, groups have gotten creative and made banners or even decorated trailers for the event.
The parade is estimated to last under an hour but the exact time will depend on how many groups sign up. The parade’s theme will be Hornet Nation, and students are encouraged to dress in their ESU shirts or the school colors, black and gold.
According to Student Engagement and Community Relations staff member Erica Self, this year’s parade will also include golf carts provided by local businesses. There will not be food at the parade itself, but there will be food trucks and vendors following the Hornet Walk at the tailgate area in the Visser Hall parking lot and Morse Drive.
This year will be the first time in several years that the parade has gone down Commercial Street or involved the community.
“Marketing and Engagement wanted to do something so we’ve opened up to the community. Community groups and student groups can pair up,” said Self. “We’re trying to generate excitement about homecoming … we want to gain some participation and get people in the homecoming spirit, and engage the community. The community wants to be involved with it this year, so I think that’s really cool.”
The parade will be free and open to the public to watch. To be part of the parade, fill out the registration form by Saturday Sept. 27 at emporia.edu/homecoming. All kinds of groups are welcome to sign up including but not limited to Registered Student Organizations, sororities and fraternities, schools, clubs and athletic teams.