News
Thousands Gather For Ohio University Homecoming Celebrations
By: Sara Brumfield | Athens Messenger
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Thousands of people lined the streets of downtown Athens Saturday morning to celebrate their alma mater and cheer on the Bobcats during the Ohio University Homecoming Parade.
Dozens of groups from politicians, students and community organizations and businesses participated in the parade, which started on West Union Street and filed down Court Street to Park Place.
Of course the most popular parts of the parade were the performances by the Ohio University Marching 110 and the Marching 110 Alumni Band.
Harry White, a 1969 alum and his wife Sue, a 1986 OU graduate (both of St. Clairsville), said they attended the OU Alumni Gala on Friday evening before hitting up the parade and Bobcat football game against Central Michigan University on Saturday. The couple said their favorite part of the parade was the alumni band.
Casey and Jennifer Baker watched the parade near Baker University Center with their 17-month-old son Liam. Casey said they live an hour and half south of Athens and come back to OU every year for homecoming. Casey is a 2005 alumnus of OU.
Casey, a 2005 alumnus, said Liam got up and began dancing during the alumni band performance.
“That was probably my favorite part, watching him get into it,” he said.
For Nick Conroy and Sara Beyoglides, this was their first time attending OU’s Homecoming as alumni. The two 2012 grads said they still live in the area, so it feels like they never really left.
“It’s a little weird after being here for four years,” Beyoglides said.
“It’s fun being here though,” Conroy said. “The parade was a good length.”
OU President Roderick McDavis said he was happy to see so many small student organizations participate in the parade this year.
Helen Wilson flew across the country from near Seattle, Wash. to return to her alma mater and also see two of her daughters perform in the parade. She said her daughter
Rachel Pakzadeh performed with the alumni band while her younger daughter Caroline Wilson performed with the Marching 110.
Wilson and her other two daughters, Emily and Rebecca Wilson, were headed to Peden Stadium to see Rachel and Caroline perform again during the Bobcat football game.