SU Homecoming Parade and Pep Rally to feature student organizations, alumni, marching bands and fireworks

SU Homecoming Parade and Pep Rally to feature student organizations, alumni, marching bands and fireworksNovember 08, 2005Carol K. Masiclatclkim@syr.edu

To stir up Orange spirit before Syracuse University’s Homecoming football game against South Florida, the Division of Student Affairs and the Office of Alumni Relations at SU will present the 2005 Homecoming parade and pep rally, Friday, Nov. 11. The parade will begin at 6 p.m. in front of the Schine Student Center and will proceed up University Place to Comstock Avenue, where the route turns right and heads down Comstock to East Colvin Street, and continues on to Vielbig Outdoor Track (located behind Manley Fieldhouse). The pep rally begins on the track at 7 p.m., and concludes with a fireworks display at 7:20 p.m. The Homecoming king and queen will be crowned at the pep rally, and members of the Homecoming court will be announced as well.

Before the parade, the Chancellor’s Homecoming welcome takes place at 4:30 p.m. in the Schine Student Center, followed immediately by the Homecoming awards ceremony at 5 p.m. During the ceremony, Ryan Chadick ’07 will receive the Orange Spirit award, a new award that recognizes a student who has demonstrated a genuine respect for University traditions and traditional programs, and attempts to solidify and enhance University traditions.

Both the parade and pep rally are open to the public. Visitors can park in the Comstock parking lot on Comstock Avenue, the Manley North lot on Comstock Avenue or the Manley South lot on East Colvin Street. The best vantage points for spectators will be along Comstock Avenue.

This year’s parade features performances by the SU Marching Band, the Central Square High School Marching Band, the City of Syracuse Highland Pipe Band and 55 student groups and organizations. The board of directors of the SU Alumni Association and more than 30 club presidents from around the country will also be participating in the parade. Winners of this year’s Homecoming Awards will be in the parade, and Common Councilor Tom Seals and Common Councilor Van Robinson will take part as well.

Comstock Avenue between Euclid and East Colvin Street will be closed for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of one hour. The road will only be closed for the period of time that the parade is moving through it. City of Syracuse police officers will be stationed at each intersection to assist with the movement of traffic. Traffic will be diverted east on Euclid Avenue or east on East Colvin Street.

For a complete listing of Homecoming Week events, visithttp://alumni.syr.edu/Homecoming05/homepage.htm or emailsualumni@syr.edu. For information about the tradition of Homecoming at SU, contact Donald C. Doerr, assistant vice president of alumni relations, at 443-3410 ordcdoerr@syr.edu, or Ellen King, director of student events, at 443-9592 orefking@syr.edu.