By MEGAN MAHARRY, Student Reporter
Bands are playing, candy litters the streets and families are gathered with excited smiles—the homecoming parade is here.
Homecoming is a time of the year that is planned far in advance, and the homecoming parade is an element of that planning.
Northwestern Oklahoma State University is anticipating another homecoming parade.
David Pecha, head of the homecoming committee, and the members of his committee have worked hard to put together Northwestern’s homecoming parade this year. The parade is set to take place on Saturday at 10 a.m. on the downtown square in Alva.
The parade marshal for this year’s parade is Linda Stewart. She is a NWOSU alumna and former speech and theater professor.
Sheila Brintnall and Lisa Franz are the co-directors for the Miss Cinderella pageant. The pageant takes place on the Thursday and Friday before Saturday’s parade. After competing for the title of Miss Cinderella, fifteen contestants will ride in the parade. The fifteen contestants will each ride in an antique car, which are provided by various members of the community.
Ranger Royalty and the Ranger football team will also ride in the parade.
Richmond Adams is in charge of the parade’s floats. There are several floats signed up to march in the parade, and groups are continuing to join the line-up. There are three different categories that can march on the parade: Northwestern organizations, non-profit groups and commercial businesses.
A series of judges will evaluate the floats in each group and will award prizes in each of the categories. Adams said he is looking forward to all the floats in the parade.
“I encourage any NWOSU organization to join the parade and build a float,” Adams said.
Marc Decker is the band director at NWOSU. He has worked hard not only to prepare his own band, but to bring in bands from all across Oklahoma and even some parts of Kansas to compete in this year’s homecoming parade.
Fifteen bands and one Ranger alumni band make for a total of sixteen bands marching in this year’s parade—a number much higher than previous years.
“I anticipate an outstanding parade,” Decker said.
The bands are middle school aged, high school aged or the two combined. As the bands march in the parade, they will be judged for a first through third award. Three judges, two of which are NWOSU alumni, will judge the bands on their overall sound, marching, and appearance.
After the parade, the bands will combine to perform on the Ranger football field prior to the football game. Nearly 740 students will be involved.
“I am excited about all of the bands,” Decker said.
For more information about the homecoming parade, students can visit the Student Services office in the Fine Arts building Rm. 126. Students can also call the office at 580-327-8414.