Homecoming parade aims to unite community, CMU

Downtown Mount Pleasant is ready to rev up the school spirit in the community before the Central Michigan University homecoming football game against Ball State.

The Homecoming game will kickoff at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Kelly/Shorts Stadium, but the festivities will begin earlier at 11 a.m. with the annual homecoming parade.

Downtown Development Director Michelle Sponseller said the parade is an energizing and entertaining event for the entire community.

“I don’t care if you’re two years old or 82 years old; everybody loves parades,” Sponseller said. “People get so excited when the parade is just a few blocks away, and everyone loves the marching bands performance. The crowd just goes crazy.”

Kelly Schiess, co-chair of the homecoming committee, said they have received more than 50 applications to participate in the parade.

“The parade will feature floats from student groups, community groups and organizations,” Schiess said. “All different types of people participate in the parade.”

The parade will begin on CMU’s campus, travel north on Main Street into downtown, and then head east on Broadway Street. From there, the parade will go south on Fancher Street to end at the Sacred Heart Parish, 302 S.Kinney Ave.

The parade is a way of making the ties tighter between CMU and the larger Mount Pleasant community, Sponseller said.

“I don’t view students as separate population to the city. They could be here for six months or six years, but I want to make sure they are part of the community, and not just CMU,” Sponseller said. “They should venture out and see what’s in the community.”

The parade is the only aspect the city is involved in when it comes to homecoming events, Sponseller said.

During the parade, the streets in the route will be closed to thru traffic.

Community Information Director Heather Smith said no other roads will be closed for the weekend, and there are no special traffic plans in place.

“We’re treating this the same as any normal home football game,” Smith said. “There will be increased local law enforcement to plan for the increase of number of people in town. Basically, this will be similar to welcome weekend.”

Sponseller said downtown has “rolled out the red carpet” for the parade this year by planting maroon, gold and white mums along the parade route streets.

Her office has also been reaching out to residents, businesses and alumni through Facebook and email.

“We’re encouraging everyone to come downtown, watch the parade, maybe have breakfast and just enjoy the morning with us,” Sponseller said.