Jacksonville – MacMurray College is in high gear for Homecoming weekend, Thursday, Oct. 27 through Sunday, Oct. 30, 2005. The Office of Student Life is accepting entries from surrounding community organizations for the 23rd Annual Homecoming Parade which will be Saturday, October 28, 2005. Registration for the parade starts at 9:00 a.m. at the registration booth and the parade will actually begin at 10:00 a.m. on State Street.

     This year’s theme is ‘A Haunted Homecoming”. The students are having fun with the theme and some of their imaginative ideas compliment the parade, including other “haunting” events on campus such as the second annual “Ghost Walk” sponsored by the campus sorority, Phi Nu.

     “We are excited by the already large number and variety of community and campus entries this year,” said Janice Briggs, Coordinator of the MacMurray Homecoming Parade. “We will be joined by the marine corps and several other military groups to start off the parade. Entries to date include 7 marching bands, 12 MacMurray organizations, over 50 community groups, floats, antique cars, trucks and tractors, dancers and 3 groups in particular that will have horses in the parade this year. This will be fun and I hope to see lots of families come out to see the parade!” Mrs. Briggs anticipates over 100 groups in the parade this year.

     Marching bands will participate from Jacksonville High School, Porta High School, Meredosia-Chambersburg Junior High School, Liberty Junior High School, Beardstown Junior and Senior High School, Northwestern Junior and Senior High School and A-C Central Community High School.

     The procession will start on State Street on the College campus, travel west to the Central Park Plaza, north on Mauvisterre, west on Douglas, south on Sandy and east on College Avenue back to MacMurray.

     Prizes of $100, $75 and $50 will be awarded for the three winning entries during the community float competition and the campus organization competition. High school marching bands will compete for cash prizes and first, second and third place trophies.

     For more information regarding parade registration, please contact Janice Briggs in the Student Life Office. Janice can be reached by phone at (217) 479-7123, by fax at (217) 479-7138, or you can email her at janice.briggs@mac.edu. A complete registration package and parade route may also be obtained online at http://www.mac.edu/alumni (The deadline for parade registration is Oct. 15, 2005.)

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     Located in Jacksonville, Ill., MacMurray College is a private, four-year, liberal arts, coeducational college, founded in 1846, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Its friendly, informal environment stresses academic excellence, personal attention, career experience, and well-rounded development of each individual.