Alongside all the other homecoming events going on, the annual Homecoming Parade route has been altered.
The parade now starts from the Faculty and Staff parking lot and goes south on Sumerlin, then west onto East Harding, then south on Delaney Avenue. The parade follows Delaney Avenue for five blocks and goes east onto Jersey Street, then heads north on Osceloa Avenue back up to East Harding Street, then east onto Sumerlin and back into Faculty and Staff parking lot.
The route was changed because of a lack of police available to keep crowds under control and manage traffic. The Orlando City game, on Friday night, is where most of the officers who would otherwise be helping the parade will be.
“This change has, in theory, made the police’s job so much easier,” senior class president Ciara Tobin said. “They no longer have to guard the busy road that is Michigan.”
Of course with any large- scale change there will be confusion or misunderstanding. Senior class officers, the people running and organizing this event, have shared the news of the new route on the Boone Homepage and The Boone Facebook page. Senior Officers emailed each participating organization or club twice, wrote in smoke signals and had an daily announcement on Brave TV to ensure the information gets out.
“We have told everyone who will listen about this new route” Tobin says. “Although this change makes it easier to organize and get all of the floats and walkers in order, it is difficult getting the news out to the public and making sure everyone knows about it” senior class secretary, Kristin Recker said.
The parade will still start at 3:30 p.m. and will still include floats from all four class offices, Spanish Club, Fellowship of the Christan Athletes, and Young Republicans, along with many other clubs. And the homecoming court will still be waving from convertibles. It has not been decided on whether or not this new route change will be the precedent for years to come, or if it will go directly back to the old route next year.
“As long as we are lucky, this will be a one-time change.” Mrs. Parker, senior class sponsor said. “The old route was more visual, it is better for the kids and the community. It’s just logistically better.”