Parading through Tarleton for Homecoming 2025

BY DREW FLEMING

Multimedia Journalist

The annual homecoming parade was held on Saturday, Oct. 18. It was yet another successful year of alumni, students and local organizations coming together to parade through the Tarleton State University campus. A celebratory moment to commemorate the end of a happy homecoming week and an exciting way to begin the gameday against the University of West Georgia.

This beloved event brings the campus and community together to demonstrate their Texan spirit through colorfully creative floats and performances. Over 60 floats are in the parade, including past and present Poo, Tarleton Greek life and the Mr. and Ms. TSU homecoming court.

The parade begins at the Tarleton baseball complex, heading down Washington Street, then ending on Mcllhaney Street. As the floats make it down the road, they engage with the parade goers. Once they reach the gates, the announcers give background information about each organization as their float passes by and take the time to recognize distinguished alumni that were at the parade.

Each organization makes a float for the parade to showcase their school spirit. The parade promises a show of Texan pride; they are decorated to express each organization's love for Tarleton’s rich history and unique traditions.

Kyndle Carson, a member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, helped create a float with the ladies of Alpha Omicron Pi and Kappa Sigma fraternity that won second place in the float competition.

“Our goal was to do the polaroids, and so we have all the traditions in polaroids, capturing every moment. My favorite part is spending it with all of our sisters and the fraternities and having a fun time hanging out,” Carson said.

Their float was chosen as second and decorated with polaroids of each tradition, a special way to encapsulate traditions into a timeless moment like a polaroid.

The Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and Delta Phi Epsilon sorority were happy to take home the first-place banner for the parade competition. Their float had a Mardi Gras theme, decorated with colorful masks and other festive touches inspired by the celebration’s traditions.

Seth Terry, a senior and member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, was proud to walk through the parade with the winning float.

“My favorite part of the homecoming parade is getting both the fraternities and the sororities together and coming together to build an awesome float,” Terry said.

It is evident that students spend a lot of time pouring into their floats to make them the best they can be. The parade allows students to come together to show the alumni and community how much they care about their university.

Ashaw Bailey is a senior at Tarleton and has been a part of PANKUS (People Against Not Knowing School Spirit) since fall 2023. Bailey shared that his favorite part of the parade and homecoming week is showing who PANKUS is and supporting Tarleton.

PANKUS, Greek life and alumni organizations play a huge part in making the homecoming parade and week of events at Tarleton so successful for everyone. This highlights Tarleton’s impact on students and the community, showing how both students and alumni truly always bleed purple.