Kent State University will celebrate homecoming Oct. 11 with football and other festivities, many centered around the university’s mascot.
Construction on East Main Street has forced a change in the homecoming parade route, which will proceed down Summit Street instead of Main Street.
Festivities will begin Oct. 10 and continue Oct. 11. The homecoming parade steps off at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 11, and the Golden Flashes will play the University of Massachusetts in the homecoming game at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 11 at Dix Stadium. A full schedule of events can be found online.
The 2025 homecoming theme is “Flash’s Birthday Bash,” and those who formerly served as Flash mascots have been named this year’s homecoming parade grand marshals.
There will be a livestream of the parade online. View the new parade route here.
Alumni awards set Oct. 10
The Kent State University Alumni Awards event will be Oct. 10 at the Kent State Hotel and Conference Center. Ten alumni and students will be recognized. The award recipients are online.
Parade and football game on Oct. 11
Thanks to construction on East Main Street, the annual parade has a new route that will take traffic through campus rather than downtown. A 9 a.m. block party, near the grandstand on Summit Street, will feature a food truck, music, caricature artist, inflatables, and an appearance by Flash and members of the Columbus Crew.
The parade will start near the Child Development Center at Loop and Rhodes roads, and proceed to Summit Street, ending at the old Business Administration Building.
After the parade, couples can gather at 1 p.m. for the traditional “Kiss on the K,” a homecoming tradition for couples to celebrate the place where they met.
Fans of the Golden Flashes can begin tailgating at noon in the west lot outside Dix Stadium. Flash’s birthday will be celebrated. There will be will be designated tents for alumni from the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Nursing and Honors College at the tailgate. Powder blue spirit attire is encouraged.
Multiple tailgates will be held by various alumni chapters throughout the day. They will include the Black Alumni Chapter Tailgate; Greater Cleveland; Lake County Alumni Chapter; and the LGBTQ+ Alumni Chapter Homecoming Tailgayte. A list of events can be found online.
The homecoming court will be recognized at the game, with the royalty announced at halftime. Tickets are available online and at the gate.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Kent State homecoming includes new route for parade, Flash’s birthday celebration
Reporting by Ravenna Record-Courier / Record-Courier
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
