Homecoming Parade Route To Be Altered Because Of Structural Concerns With Walnut Street Building

The route of the annual Glenwood Homecoming Parade is going to be altered this year because of concerns about the integrity of a building on the west side of Town Square.

Homecoming parade organizers have been in discussions with city and county officials to determine an alternate route that would keep the parade on Town Square but remove the one-block stretch of Walnut Street between First and Sharp.

Glenwood Homecoming Parade co-chair Holly Jackson said a final decision will be made on the route after further discussions this week. Typically, the parade begins on the northeast corner of Town Square and moves west on First Street, south on Walnut Street, east on Sharp Street and south on Vine Street. The only time the route has been altered in recent years was during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. That year, the parade route was shortened and restricted to Vine Street, traveling south from the Glenwood Public Library past the Glenwood Post Office. It’s unlikely that route will be utilized this year.

“When we talked about condensing it, there’s concern about the size of the crowd and cramming that many more people,” Jackson said. “At least with COVID, there was a lot of people that simply didn’t show up. However, it’s not like that anymore. We didn’t even have that many kids on the floats that year, but now you’re talking as many as you can get, so condensing it would be hazardous.”

The building that’s sparked the public safety concern is located at 14 N. Walnut Street. Structural issues were discovered as the building began undergoing a facelift as part of the city’s Downtown Revitalization project. A business in the adjoining building to the north, the Round Table Tea Bar, has been forced to vacate and remain closed indefinitely while a solution is determined.

In regard to the parade, Jackson said there are concerns that vibration caused by some of the large vehicles pulling floats and participating in the parade could cause further damage to the building.

“Everybody is on the same page wanting to make sure safety is met, still keeping homecoming going and not causing too much of a vibration next to that building,” Jackson said.

The Glenwood Homecoming Parade will take place on Friday, Oct. 3, at 1:30 p.m. The theme of this year’s parade is “RAMpaging Through The Decades.” Registration is now open for classes, businesses and organizations wanting to have an entry in the Glenwood Homecoming Parade.

Parade entries should be one of the following:

School classes or alumni reunion classes - floats (vehicle with a platform with a display or exhibit that carries out the theme of the parade)

Royalty, Band, Alumni, Youth Clubs, Civic Organization,

Commercial or religious/political vehicles/floats - $20 fee per entry (this fee will help offset parade expenses and contribute to prize fund)

Registration deadline this year is Sept. 26. A group or organization can register for the parade online through a link on the Glenwood Homecoming Parade Facebook page.

Volunteers are needed to help coordinate the 2025 Glenwood Homecoming Parade.

Two shifts are available – from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 12 – 2:30 p.m.

Volunteer sign-up is also available online through a link on the Glenwood Homecoming Parade Facebook page.

Answers to questions and additional information about the Glenwood Homecoming Parade can be requested by emailing homecomingparade51534@gmail.com.