OU announced a new route to the Homecoming Parade, modifying one of the oldest traditions during the university's Homecoming Reunion Week.
Homecoming welcomes alumni back to campus and encourages current students to show off their OU pride by sidewalk chalking, banner making and creating floats for the parade, which will take place at night and feature a “glow” theme.
The route will begin heading north on Elm Street, turning east on Boyd Street and south on Parrington Oval until the parade ends with floats across the North Oval, according to a press release from OU Student Affairs.
In previous years, the parade route ran along Boyd Street from Asp Avenue to Elm Avenue.
According to the release, the parade will include glow-in-the-dark materials and electric lighting. Emma Williams, Campus Activities Council homecoming executive chair, said in the release she hopes the Glow Parade will encourage more engagement.
“I look forward to seeing how all our parade participants interpret this year’s theme of ‘Game On!’ and how they uniquely present it at our new Glow Parade,” Williams said in the release. “We are excited to invite more of the Norman community to visit our homecoming events this year.”
When the parade finishes on the North Oval, Rah! Rally, the annual pep rally where student organizations choreograph competitive performances, will be held outside Jacobson Hall at 9 p.m, according to the release. The rally was previously held at the Lloyd Noble Center.
“We are excited to introduce a reimagined OU Homecoming Parade experience that will truly set us apart,” David Surratt, vice president of Student Affairs and dean of students, said in the release. “Our innovative Glow Parade promises to electrify homecoming week and generate considerable enthusiasm throughout the entire university.”
Homecoming is a student-led week of events from Oct. 16-21. The modified parade route will debut at 8 p.m. Oct. 20.
This article was edited by Alexia Aston, Peggy Dodd and Taylor Jones. Lily Battles and Grace Rhodes copy edited this article.
