The lawn chairs and blankets started showing up mid-afternoon. Within a few hours, folks filled the streets of downtown Iowa City, awaiting a sharp blast from a police car siren and a familiar tune from the UI Alumni Band.

The cacophony marked the start of the University’s annual Homecoming parade, this fall held Oct. 1.

Floats riffed on the Homecoming theme “A Hawkeye State of Mind.” Area bands strutted their stuff. Representatives from student organizations, area businesses, and political campaigns tossed candy, t-shirts, and can koozies to the crowd.

The parade and other Homecoming events served a good cause, too, raising funds for Habitat for Humanity. Thanks to Hawkeye generosity, a local family will soon come home to a place all their own.