This weekend concludes the 2014 Homecoming festivities and celebrates Penn Staters past and present. This past week has been filled with activities, school spirit, and tons of free stuff. Tonight’s parade was no exception.

More than 200 floats toured the parade route. The route began at Pennypacker Hall in East, marched along College Ave., and concluded at the Rec Hall. Check our Facebook page for pictures from the parade!

While the Homecoming parade is an event that the whole community comes to watch, it’s not just for show. Student organizations that are competing as overall competitors in the Homecoming festivities are judged on a variety of categories throughout the week, and they are required to have a float in the parade. Influential student leaders and faculty members judged the floats as they passed the Allen Street Gates at the Friends and Family tent.

I assume my invitation to judge the floats as an esteemed and influential student leader was lost in the mail. No hard feelings, Homecoming Committee, I did my own analysis of the floats anyway! Although I can’t recount all of the floats for those of you who didn’t make it to the parade, here’s a quick recap of the most notable displays.

• Everyone on the Homecoming Executive Committee float absolutely exuded Penn State spirit. (No surprise there!)
• If the Homecoming Court is any representation of our student population as a whole, then we are a good looking bunch.
• The THON Executive Committee unveiled the 2015 theme, “Empower the Dreamers,” to explosive applause.
• Former featured twirler Matt Freeman twirled alongside the Alumni Blue Band and wowed the crowd as usual.
• The Kentucky Chapter of the Alumni Association threw candy out of KFC containers. Major points for creativity, and bonus points for throwing caramel apple suckers.
• Centre Concrete company has a breast cancer dump truck, and that’s just awesome.
• Kuwaiti Student Association wins the award for “cutest dog riding in the back of their truck.”
• Penn State Glee Club sang the alma mater while marching and it was angelic.
• The back of the Penn State Dance Academy’s float featured a scoreboard that said “Penn State 31, NW 3.”  Take a look at our staff’s predictions for tomorrow game.
• Mike the Mailman rode a five person bike contraption that featured a table, umbrella, and large lion head.
• The Blue Band performed “Low,” by FloRida and “rapped” the chorus.

Unfortunately, I left the parade empty-handed after learning that the Press Tent is not the place to be if you want free candy.

Overall, the “Frozen,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Great Fratsby,” and “James and the Giant Peach” floats stole the show, but major props to all the organizations participating in the Homecoming festivities. I can’t imagine following a 52-page rule book was easy.

Continue honoring the purpose and carrying the pride tonight, but don’t be late to the game tomorrow! Kickoff is at noon.

Can’t wait to see a packed student section tomorrow in Beaver Stadium. Gate A opens at 10 am – get there & get LOUD #PSUnrivaled #107Kstrong — James Franklin (@coachjfranklin) September 26, 2014

Happy Homecoming, Happy Valley!