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• Parade returns amid week of IU Homecoming activities

Parade returns amid week of IU Homecoming activities

• Oct. 10, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Fall in Bloomington. Does it get any better? Not when it comes to IU Homecoming. Hoosier alumni and families will fill local hotels and businesses, and the entire community is welcome to celebrate a one-of-a-kind campus community during a week of activities culminating with the homecoming game on Nov. 2.

This year, a fresh take on the homecoming tradition will "paint the town crimson" on Oct. 27. The week features a new Kirkwood parade route, the student-led Nearly Naked Mile clothing drive and at least 18 more IU-hosted activities.

"It's really exciting to bring back the parade, a long-standing tradition, after a brief hiatus," said Mike Mann, alumni program officer at the IU Alumni Association. "As an alum and a Bloomington resident, I'm even more excited that this year we’re marching right down the iconic Kirkwood Avenue. We've been overwhelmed by the interest from downtown businesses for the parade and the whole weekend, and I think visitors will really feel special."

The parade, which features the Marching Hundred, cheerleaders, IU celebrities and student groups, begins at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1. It kicks off at the intersection of Lincoln and Kirkwood, heads east toward the Sample Gates, then turns north onto Indiana Avenue to finish. Families are invited to enjoy the parade from Dunn Meadow in an area where kids can run and play. A pep rally, led by IU Athletics and featuring the IU cheerleaders and the pep band, begins immediately after the parade, around 7 p.m.

Community floats and walking groups are welcome. To enter the parade, register your group or float online. 

"Homecoming is a celebration of both the campus and community where IU alumni made their home," IU Alumni Association executive director and CEO J T. Forbes said. "This year debuts an approach that sustains important campus traditions and invests in making the weekend a great time for IU alumni tourists to visit Bloomington."

In addition to community support from Visit Bloomington, Bloomington Independent Restaurant Association and area merchants, several partner organizations are bolstering IU Homecoming 2013. "We are grateful to our title sponsor Herff-Jones, as well as event sponsors the IU Credit Union, Hoosier Ride and Liberty Mutual," Forbes said.

More than 20 events are scheduled for homecoming, and complete details are available online. Highlights include:

• The sixth annual Nearly Naked Mile at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30. Thousands of students will shed almost all of their clothes and run through campus. The good news: It's all for a worthy cause. During this one-mile run around the Bloomington campus, beginning in Dunn Meadow and finishing at the Sample Gates, students donate their clothing to the United Way.
• Career advice from journalism pros at the "I'm a Hoosier" panel at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31, at the Indiana Memorial Union’s Whittenberger Auditorium. The IU Alumni Association and School of Journalism teamed up to host Kara Kenney, BAJ '01, RTV6 investigative reporter; Carrie Ritchie, BAJ '08, Indianapolis Star social media editor; and Cory Schouten, BAJ '04, Indianapolis Business Journal managing editor.
• "Classes Without Quizzes," a no-homework opportunity for alumni to sit in on select IU classes. Classes will be offered from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, in Ballantine Hall and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs.
• An open house featuring food, drinks and fun is set at the DeVault Alumni Center, on 17th Street directly across from Assembly Hall, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1. Sign up ahead of time to receive a special gift at the door.
• Tailgate before IU football vs. Minnesota at Hoosier Village. The fun begins three hours before kickoff Saturday, Nov. 2. The Village features entertainment, great local food from the Bloomington Independent Restaurant Association, beverages, activities and games for kids, and plenty of Hoosier spirit.

Details and registration information on all homecoming events is available online. On Twitter, search #IUHomecoming or follow @IUAA for reminders and live updates.

The IU Alumni Association is a global alumni organization that brings more than 580,000 IU graduates together to support one another and Indiana University throughout their lives. The IUAA activates IU's powerful network through live events, webinars, scholarship programs and seriously fun traditions.