BY AISLING DOHENY | News Editor | The Statesman
After months of planning, homecoming is all set to go. A parade, daily programs, and three to four new events are expected at this year’s week-long celebration.
Kate Andrews, coordinator of special events and chair of the homecoming parade, has been hard at work since spring planning the third annual homecoming parade, an event she built from scratch.
“It hasn’t been easy, but it’s worth it,” she said.
The parade is scheduled for 4 p.m. on October 8 in downtown Duluth on Superior Street and is anticipated to last around an hour.
DTA will provide transportation, which is free for students with valid U-Cards. DTA will also shuttle members of the University for Seniors.
Andrews expects about 60 organizations that are both non-UMD and UMD-affiliated to participate. Groups expected to march in the parade include the library, a variety of student organizations, recreational sports, UMDPD, the penalty box, bands and athletes.
“We’re trumping it up a bit this year,” Andrews said. “We’re asking the athletes to wear their jerseys.”
According to co-chair of the homecoming parade, Karen Stromme, about 400 athletes representing each of the 14 teams are expected to walk.
“The teams will march together,” she said. “The football team will march at the very end to symbolize the culminating event to our homecoming week.”
Stromme is currently busy ensuring that proper communication between coaches and teams is occurring and that all the athletes put their best foot forward for the parade.
“We want student athletes to make meaningful engagements with the spectators, it’s something that the kids in the crowd may remember forever,” Stromme said. “The student-athletes will walk around and pass out little gifts.”
The new, coveted item this year is a mini-Champ toy designed with the aid of School Spirit and Duluth’s Northland Party.
“We ordered 100 of these, so only 100 lucky spectators will bring a little Champ home,” Andrews said.
Northland Party helped facilitate final designs for the mini Champs and has also had a hand in homecoming this year. The locally owned and operated party store stocked their shelves with maroon and gold accessories and is offering 20 percent off any purchase to UMD Students with a valid U-Card. This discount expires the day of the parade.
“We ordered 100 of these, so only 100 lucky spectators will bring a little Champ home,” - Kate Andrews, homecoming coordinator.
Northland Party is also sponsoring the homecoming mutt-strut this year; their store mascot, Rosco, will lead the march. Owners can register their dogs online through the UMD homecoming website page.
Downtown businesses are encouraged to decorate for homecoming as well.
“We partner with the greater downtown council as a way to invite businesses downtown to be a part of the event,” Andrews said.
Andrews is looking forward to some of the newer aspects of the parade.
For the first time ever a high-school band will perform in the Parade. Superior High school was invited by Andrews.
The grand marshal this year is Senator Roger Reinert, someone Andrews calls a good friend of UMD.
Homecoming fun doesn’t start and end with the parade, though.
Jessi Eaton, coordinator of the homecoming committee, put together the calendar on the homecoming website.
“It takes a lot more planning than we want it to look like,” said Eaton.
The homecoming committee has been meeting since May.
According to Eaton, there are at least three new events this year. Some of the new programs include a staff flag football game and a family carnival put on by the alumni association.
The city of Duluth is in on the fun, too. Enger tower will be lit maroon and gold the whole week of homecoming.
“I’m just a school-spirit girl,” said Eaton. “Homecoming is one of my favorite events of the year, I’m looking forward to it.”
The week kicks off with RSOP’s annual Homecoming 5k, which is partnered this year with the athletic department. The two departments are also co-sponsoring a Make-A-Wish walk.
According to Stromme, both student athletes and RSOP members have fundraised money for Make-A-Wish. A wish will be granted to someone in the local community.
More scheduled events can be found on the UMD homecoming website.