Court Street is lined with green balloons and Bobcat spirit as OHIO’s Marching 110 makes its way along the bricks of Athens during the 2018 Homecoming Parade. Photo by Max Catalano, BSVC ’20
Registration is underway for one of the most-popular and spirited Ohio University festivities of the year – the 2019 Homecoming Parade.
Kicking off at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, OHIO’s Homecoming Parade brings town and gown together and Bobcats past, present and future to the streets of Athens for a morning dedicated to celebrating all things Ohio University.
The Campus Involvement Center and University Program Council, which sponsor the Homecoming Parade, invite members of the OHIO and surrounding communities to play a special role in this annual tradition by showcasing their Bobcat Pride with spirited floats and banners that highlight this year’s Homecoming theme, “1804 and So Much More.” Coinciding with OHIO’s 215 th anniversary, the theme honors the storied history and future trajectory of Ohio’s first and finest university and rallies students and alumni to connect over their shared experiences and love for this singular place.
There is no fee to participate in the Homecoming Parade, and cash prizes will be awarded to the top three floats and banners, which will be judged on design, the incorporation of this year’s Homecoming theme, originality and spirit. Groups may participate in the parade while opting out of competing. The winning floats and banners will be announced and recognized at the Homecoming football game, which kicks off at 3:30 p.m. that afternoon.
The online 2019 Homecoming Parade registration form is available here. The deadline to register to participate in the parade is 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7. Click here for additional Homecoming Parade information and guidelines.
The Ohio University Alumni Association is also seeking alumni who own a convertible and are interested in driving that vehicle in this year’s Homecoming Parade. For a chance to participate, fill out this online form. For additional information, contact Erica Lipscomb, associate director of Advancement Events, at lipscome@ohio.edu .
The 2019 Homecoming Parade route will remain unchanged from the previous three years and will begin on West Union Street near Factory Street, traveling east on Union Street before making a right turn onto South Congress Street. From there, the route will:
- Turn left onto President Street
- Turn left onto Court Street
- Turn right onto Washington Street
- Turn right onto College Street
- Turn left onto Union Street
- Turn right onto University Terrace
The parade will end at Ohio University’s Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium. Judging of floats and banners will occur on the patio of OHIO’s Schoonover Center for Communication at Union and College Streets.
Ohio University’s 2019 Homecoming Week kicks off Monday, Oct. 7, and runs through Saturday, Oct. 12. For more information about the Homecoming Parade and all of this year’s festivities, visit the official Homecoming 2019 website and follow #OHIOHC2019 on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.