Rockin into the homecoming parade
October 3, 2019
As OHS settles into the rhythm of the school year, the students embrace themselves with all of the homecoming festivities. The Owatonna Homecoming Parade is one of the most anticipated events of the week, for the entire community. There are 18 decorated floats in this year’s parade, 19 including parade crew’s undecorated float. The Robotics team and Link Crew are returning to the parade this year. For the first time, the OHS Dance Team will have a float.
The route for the parade begins at the corner of Rose Street and Cedar, proceeds towards Central Park, left to the front of the library, and ends at Grove Street and Broadway. When asked about the weather plan for this year, Student Council Adviser Mrs. Sandra Justice said, “That’s a really funny question. If there is lightning the parade is canceled, but if it is raining or snowing, then the parade is still on.”
In order to have the parade, there are sponsors that help pay for decorations and other necessities. Each float receives up to $250 for supplies provided by the student council, but that only covers vinyl twists, fringe, floor sheeting and poster boards. Teams or clubs come up with everything else. Sponsorships go out in May in order to collect money all summer. Mrs. Justice said, “It’s an expensive endeavor, but it’s fun. It’s worth it.”
In order to join the parade crew, sophomores will receive an email from Mrs. Justice in the spring, inviting them to join and fill out a Google form with their information. If accepted, they will be contacted in the early summer to check their availability for the summer meetings. The homecoming parade will be at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4
OHS Boys Cross Country team working to bring their float together
Building up to float
The OHS Homecoming Committee commits a large amount of their time and effort to make homecoming great, and the parade is a big part of it. The committee meets every Wednesday from August until after homecoming is over. Prior to the parade, the float building takes place on Wednesday, Oct. 2, from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Radel Pavillion on the Steele County Fairgrounds. At the Pavillion, OHS students, teachers and community members work together to build their floats. There are 18 floats this year along with a walking group, and the committee is glad to see the Robotics team with a float after missing last years parade. The floats are going down the same route as they have in years past. The route will start at Rose and Cedar and heads south to Central Park, then turns and heads east onto Broadway.
The committee loves to see the community come to support the parade and football game. Homecoming coordinator Mrs. Sandra Justice would like to remind parade-goers to not only enjoy themselves- but to also be safe. Justice said, “You can get candy at a store, but you can’t take back a life.” While the parade is a fun experience, it can easily turn dangerous if children are running in and out of the street and in front of floats to grab candy off of the ground.
The parade will take place on October 4 at 1:30 p.m.