“We work hard to get info out to the Michigan State community so that we have a variety of different groups in the parade,” Cross said. “It’s nice because we do have a lot of families with children that come enjoy it and sit along the parade route. It’s just a great mix of people.”

Although spectators were not counted, previous years have seen attendance of about 10,000, and Cross said she expected as many people attended this year.

The 2010 Homecoming theme was Spartan Space Odyssey. It was chosen to give parade participants many opportunities to build floats, banners and music to the theme, Cross said.

Two student groups and several community members judged the parade entrants, and chose six winners based on their execution of the theme, Cross said.

The winners included the Hospitality Association for Best Float; MSU Sorority Moms for Best Community Group; Shaw Hall for Best Banner; the Student Alumni Foundation for Best Spirit; Mason, Abbot, Snyder and Phillips halls for Best Residence Hall; and MSU Dance Club for Best Group.

However, the parade’s theme was not easily evident, communicative sciences and disorders senior Alyssa Stanard said.

“The only (themed) thing was the (parade’s) beginning banner,” Stanard said. “That had it on it, but nothing else has been themed to that at all.”

Regardless of the theme, all of the procession and festivities were exciting and the Spartan marching band was the best, English freshman Kelsee Nousain said.

“I grew up in a small town, so compared to this it’s like, ‘Whoa,’” Nousain said. “It’s great. … They have a lot going on here.”

However, the parade was unnecessarily long, with downtime between the floats and groups, environmental studies and agriscience sophomore Maddie Brady said.

“It’s slow,” Brady said. “There’s a lot of gaps in between (floats). I think they could have coordinated it better.”