For 35 years, the Parade of Nations has been a staple tradition for the communities of Houghton and Hancock. However, this year’s parade of nations will be different from what students remember. In the past, the parade began in Hancock and made its way over the lift bridge before ending at the Dee Stadium in Houghton. However, this year’s parade has been dropped by the city of Hancock.
“With the closure of Finlandia, we’ve had to rethink how we allocate our resources,” said Todd Gast, Community Development Manager for the city of Hancock and member of the Parade of Nations volunteer committee.
On Sep. 21, the parade will follow the new route. Starting at the Rozsa Center, parade walkers will walk down the campus mall towards the West end of campus. Once the parade reaches the Alumni Way arch, the floats will enter the parade from the Cliff Drive parking lot next to the Admin Building. From there, the full parade will make its way down College Avenue. The parade will make a right turn at the Ambassador restaurant and will head East down Lakeshore Drive where it will end at the Dee Stadium as usual.
“The Parade of Nations is a cherished tradition for both cities,” Gast explained, “and by routing the parade from MTU through Houghton, we ensure that the event can continue to thrive without placing undue strain on our community resources.”
