A parade. Grilled food. Football. A grown man in a pink bunny suit.

It must be Homecoming at Southeast Missouri State University.

A record Houck Stadium crowd north of 11,000 watched the Redhawks hang on Saturday to beat the University Tennessee-Martin. Southeast chalked up its eighth straight win and give its fans even more to celebrate at Homecoming.

The festivities began early Saturday. Thousands of people lined the sidewalks along Broadway for the Homecoming parade, with a fleet of cartoon-based floats illustrating this year's theme: "Toon Into Homecoming." Southeast sororities, fraternities and other groups rolled out the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a host of Looney Toons and the gang from Scooby-Doo, complete with the "Mystery Shuttle."

There were politicians perhaps making their last big grasp at connecting with voters before Tuesday's general election. Democratic candidate Tommy Sowers, vying against Republican incumbent Jo Ann Emerson for the 8th District U.S. House seat, bounded down the street in front of his green team entourage, waving a big American flag and shaking as many hands as he could grab.

Jummie Ready and family staked out a suitable spot on the curb in front of the Southeast Missourian. Ready's daughter, 5-year-old Harper, was decked out in a pink Batgirl outfit, complete with eye mask and cape. She waved at just about everyone who marched by.

Michele Irby, Southeast's director of Campus Life and Events Services, said the parade drew about 150 entries, more than usual, in part because of the burst of political activity.

"It sure doesn't hurt that the football team is so successful. I think this is going to be our best weekend yet," Irby said.

A couple blocks from Houck Stadium, the opposition was serving up the last of his barbecued bologna, hot peanuts and "fried taters." David McKinie, from Chester County, Tenn., and member of the 12th Man Tailgate crew for the Tennessee-Martin football team, proudly sported orange while serving with a smile hundreds of fans in red and black.

"I done fed about 300 of these Missouri folks here this morning," he said, chuckling. "I didn't know y'all was having a parade today."

Fried food, McKinie said, is the language of friendship.

As the game neared, thousands milled about, drinking, eating, laughing, spilling Broadway and the side streets with a Mardi Gras-sized mess of spent cups and cans. Austin Evans, a Southeast sophomore, was grilling burgers just past noon. Despite the bedlam, he said things looked and felt a lot better than last year's Homecoming. He said the Redhawks' historic season has done wonders for student spirit.

"Last year all it was, was 'We're going to get smashed and go home and sleep,'" Evans said. "This year it's 'We're going to drink a little bit, cook food and actually go to a football game that might be competitive.'"

In the mix was Cole Windler, a Southeast graduate assistant dressed in a pink bunny suit, walking the streets with a cold beer in his hand. He was not going for inconspicuous.

"It's Homecoming, so I think it should be as festive as we can," he said. "It just so happens that Homecoming is on Halloween, so that brings an extra element of fun."

mkittle@semissourian.com

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