Prosper residents will line the streets to watch the homecoming parade starting 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16. The procession will kick off at Reynolds Middle School and end in the high school parking lot, at the intersection of Coleman and Talon Way.

Immediately following the parade, the community pep rally will commence at the PHS arena around 7 p.m.

“It’s just kind of a glimpse of what we do here at Prosper High School,” cheer coach Lyndsey Hamlin said. “We start lining cars up at 1 p.m. tomorrow and school floats start lining up between 1 and 2:30 p.m.”

As per the town’s guidelines, the parade will include the maximum of 100 floats. Because of an outpouring of volunteers who registered to be part of the event, the homecoming parade committee rejected at least 10 floats.

“We cap it at 100 floats because that’s what the town says that we can do,” Hamlin said. “That includes walkers, trailers, golf carts, the band–they are all considered a float. We had to turn quite a few people away this year because there were so many people that wanted to be a part of this parade.”

Leading the parade this year as grand marshal will be William Rushing , who will follow the cheerleaders holding a sign recognizing the parade’s sponsors. Behind the grand marshal will be superintendent Dr. Drew Watkins and other VIPs followed by the band and other school floats.

“The cheerleaders start it off with a banner with our sponsors, but then we have William Rushing who is the grand marshal,” Hamlin said. “He’s actually who the new middle school is being named after and so he will be our leader. He is so excited to be the grand marshal and to get some Prosper spirit wear.”

The cheer booster club headed logistics and planning for the event. They started talks with the town, PISD transportation, the Fire Department and the Police Department as early as this past summer to ensure a well-run parade.

“My booster club parents take care of everything,” Hamlin said. “The booster club president Tricia Brown organizes the line up, coordinates with transportation, talks with the city and gets all the permits, she does all of that. It’s hard work and I can’t say enough about what my booster club does. ”

Spirit leaders will run the community pep rally, which will honor students, as well as Prosper townspeople, and celebrate the final year as a one high school town.

“At the pep rally you will have Talonettes performing, cheer performing and band will play,” Hamlin said. “For the community pep rally we will not have former hoco queens or alumni, but we will for the one on Friday. Spirit leaders will perform, of course. They are going to be leading this whole community pep rally.”

Hamlin says the community response and enthusiasm makes the hectic preparation stage of the parade worth it.

“You see the people who are excited about it and that is the best part,” Hamlin said. “You kind of forget about the craziness that went on to make it all work. The town seems to enjoy it and I enjoy seeing the canopies and chairs all set up, and people want their spot for the parade and that just shows you what this community, what this town does they are looking forward to it and it goes to show when you drive down the street and  you see all their stuff set up.”