Oakdale High School’s Homecoming will march on this year on Oct. 1 and the annual Homecoming parade has been reinstated after a one-year hiatus.
OHS student representative to the school board Daniel Dunning reported that school officials and Leadership students worked with insurers and the city in order to restore the parade. The annual Homecoming parade through downtown Oakdale had been a staple for over 40 years until it was abruptly cancelled in 2009 due to insurance concerns. Shortly after, Oakdale’s school trustees gave instructions to district and high school staff to look into the matter further and see what could be done.
The high school’s Leadership students have been busy planning Homecoming Week, which takes place Sept. 27 through Oct. 1 with daily lunchtime activities, dress up days, powder puff football, a rally, painting downtown business windows, and the reinstated Homecoming parade through downtown Oakdale to pump up school spirit. OHS student body President Kailey Fisicaro said that this year’s Homecoming theme is Disney.
The OHS band will perform in this year’s parade, marching in full uniform, reported new OHS band director Ross McGinnis. The band will be playing a medley of Disney tunes.
Each of the classes will have a float for the Homecoming parade related to the Disney theme. The freshman class will have Toy Story, the Sophomores will have Pirates of the Caribbean, the Juniors will have Hercules, and the Seniors will have Alice in Wonderland.
The homecoming queen and princess candidates will also be riding in the parade and the cheerleaders plan to partake in the parade alongside their class floats.
The parade start time will be at 1:45 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 1. The route will begin at the west end of the high school and head east on G Street in front of the campus. It will then turn left (north) on First Avenue, then right (east) on F Street through downtown, then right on South Third Avenue, and right (west) on G Street back to campus.
All these activities will culminate on Friday night, Oct. 1 with the big game when the Oakdale Mustangs take the field against Kimball High School of Tracy. The junior varsity game kick off is at 5:30 p.m., while varsity kick off is at 7:30 p.m. at the OHS Corral.
Crowning of the Homecoming Queen and Princess will be at halftime of the varsity contest.
