The parade featured a variety of MU student programs, high school marching bands and political advocacy groups.
MU hosted its annual homecoming parade on Saturday, Oct. 21. The parade acted as a launch into the weekend of homecoming festivities at MU.
Students, alumni and residents from Columbia attended the showcase of local culture. This year’s parade displayed Greek life floats, various MU and Columbia city organizations, marching band performances and representatives from political campaigns.
A Thomas the Tank Engine themed float is driven down the road on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023 at the Homecoming Parade in Columbia.
Among the attendees of the parade, alumni could be found all around, revisiting the place they once called home. Rob Safron, an MU alumni who graduated in 1989, came back to revisit the school for his first parade since graduation. He was brought back to Columbia because his daughter is now a freshman at MU.
“It’s cool seeing the places I used to hang out are still here,” Safron said.
Ashley and Ty Moore sold donuts to the crowd to raise money for their son’s baseball team, the Missouri Baseball Academy Mavericks’, out-of-state tournament. This year marks the family’s second annual donut sale at the parade. Last year, they had a sellout.
“We could’ve sold a lot more last year, so we ended up buying more this year and hope we sell out again,” Moore said.
Along the street, students involved with MU’s Greek life watched the parade and cheered on the floats.
Truman the Tiger greets fans on the sidelines of the parade on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023 at the Homecoming Parade in Columbia.
Those marching in the parade were also able to give a unique perspective. Camihle Williams, a member of Marching Mizzou, led Rockbridge and Hickman high school bands in the parade. Williams said she was there to help lead potential future MU students. She said that her favorite part of the parade was getting to interact with these students and answer their questions about MU life.
“It was interesting seeing young highschoolers that might want to go here, play when I’m in the current band here [and] seeing that they are very driven to work,” Williams said.
In the middle of the parade line, Nakiya Steward and JauVonya Cole led the Mid-Missouri High Steppers in their routine . Stewart said she has been in many MU Homecoming parades in the past but said it is like a new experience every time, especially when introducing new members.
“We still have butterflies, the excitement was there, the energy was there, I was excited for the girls,” Cole said. “They seemed really excited. [For] a lot of them it was their first parade.”
At the end of the parade, there was a sensory-friendly section which prohibited the use of police sirens, fire truck horns, marching band music, loud cheers and any other form of excessive noise.
Lifelong Columbia residents Matt Akins and Kayla Baker, brought young Matilda to her first parade. Akins was concerned that Matilda wouldn’t have the space to run around, but the sensory-friendly area allowed her to do just that.
“This area makes [the parade] so much more accessible to us, and it really means a lot to have this area,” Akins said.
As the parade came to an end at the intersection of Fifth and Cherry Streets, many of those in the crowd began moving towards local eateries for lunch, and to Faurot Field for MU’s football game against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Edited by Sophia Anderson | sanderson@themaneater.com
Copy Edited by Sterling Sewell | ssewell@themaneater.com