Over 100 entries in this year’s Homecoming parade

Organizers of this year’s Homecoming parade hope to bring the city of Charleston, Eastern students and alumni together on Saturday.

Julia Dubnick,co-chair of the parade for the Homecoming committee, said the parade is not only fun, but a good opportunity for both students and residents of Charleston to see the entire community.

“It should be a great time. It is great for the whole community, especially for what EIU has to offer with all the RSOs and residence halls,” Dubnick said.

According to a press release, over 100 campus and community entries will take part in the parade.

This includes floats, bands and decorated cars that will make their way through the city.

Shona Coleman, parade co-chair for the Homecoming committee, said there are three different entries parade participants can use.

These are a regular float, decorative car or a walking float.

Coleman said the committee is changing up the staging for these categories to make it easier for participants.

“Something we’re trying different this time is setting up where all the walking floats will be up toward the parade, so it is safer for them and they wont have to maneuver between cars and floats,” Coleman said.

Another change that the committee is making this year is putting members of this year’s  Homecoming court on to their own float.

“(This is) for us to incorporate the theme,  and it will be easier for them to gather as a court,” Coleman said.

This year’s Homecoming theme is “Let the Good Times Roar.”

Dubnick said anyone was able to enter in the parade as long as they registered a month before and had an idea for a float, and a group to walk with.

“It gives a representation of what the campus believes in and our community believes in and values,” Dubnick said.

Dubnick said in addition to Eastern, the city of Charleston is playing a big part in the parade with a variety of local businesses getting involved.

“The (city) of Charleston is a primary part of our parade. Without them our parade would be so small,”  Dubnick said. “The (city) of Charleston loves EIU and they like to get involved with things like this.”

The parade will start at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday and starts on 7th street, ending at the tailgate area of O’Brien Stadium.

AJ Fournier 581-2812 or [email protected].