Everyone enjoys a parade, especially on a beautiful fall day with bright sun and warm temperatures.
The Millersville Parade, now in its 27th year, was started in 1997 by a group of volunteers dedicated to improving the relationships between the Borough of Millersville, Millersville University, Manor Township, and surrounding communities. Over the years, this two-hour, two-mile event has grown to bring in entertainment from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. This year’s parade was held on Saturday, September 21st, in conjunction with Millersville University’s Homecoming weekend. The parade, featuring the theme of Dinosaurs, Dragons, and Mythical Creatures, was months in the making and takes upward of 75 volunteers. Parade entries included local performers, middle and high school marching bands, community groups, elected officials, fire trucks, and local businesses. This year’s parade had 117 parade entries including 106 vehicles, 2,215 peoples and 24 animals. Spectators have ranged from 10,000 to 12,000 people in past years, drawing in people from across the region, neighbors, students, alumni and more.
But why is spending the time, money, and energy to put on a campus-community parade so important? The larger picture is that the parade serves important community-building purposes beyond just the smiles and good feelings on parade day, although they cannot be underestimated. The parade has key benefits of increasing university visibility and brand awareness, generating positive media coverage, supporting student recruitment, and increasing college-community engagement. The parade can be a highly publicized event, reaching a wide audience in the local community and region. A well-organized and visually appealing parade can be a valuable public relations opportunity, attracting media coverage such as television, radio, and print outlets, especially if you cultivate media partners as parade sponsors. Parades are often associated with fun and celebration, enhancing the university’s reputation as a positive and engaging institution. The event can showcase the campus life, academic programs, and student organizations - making it more appealing to prospective students. This year, over 20 different student organizations participated in the parade. Finally, parades can be an excellent opportunity for campuses to connect with the local community and region, demonstrating the commitment to being a good neighbor and contributing to the community's well-being. We use our parade as an opportunity to show once again, that we care about our Borough and its residents, and continue to cultivate the small town, family-friendly feel of Millersville. Campus-community parades can and should be a strategic aspect of your community engagement and public relations framework which can benefit a university in many ways. For more information, contact ITGA member, Dr. Victor DeSantis, vice-president of university relations and strategic initiatives at