by Joe Meier
Not many people would have been very proud of an eight-foot-tall, rickety wooden structure moving at five miles per hour down Pennsylvania Avenue, only held together by the two men riding on the trailer with it. Many drivers, including an MTD bus, were not too pleased to be stuck driving behind the monstrosity.
As the truck towing the trailer proudly pulled in back of the Stock Pavilion along with the rest of the Homecoming floats, the first KCSA float in years seemed to pale next to the motorized arms of the Alma Mater.
But KCSA is all about the arts, and within an hour and a half, the wooden frame was no longer visible underneath the curtains and various KCSA paraphernalia. The plain wooden frame had been converted into an eight-foot-tall mobile stage housing up to eight people.
Members of KCSA proudly rode down the streets of Urbana and Champaign on their beautifully decorated float, complete with retractable shower curtains. Appropriately representing the Krannert Center, the float was a double-sided stage, decorated with the KCSA slogan "Be A Part of Art," Krannert Center posters, and, in keeping with the theme of the event, signs saying "Make Some KCSA-oise."
Every couple of blocks, the curtains were pulled up, and four brave sword fighters (Glen Veed, Isla Arcaro, Justin Pachuta, Jenny Poulin) leaped off the trailer to perform for the crowd, as our wonderful opera singer (Valerie Bromann) sung until being slain by the fighters. In what was most of the time a well-orchestrated act, the fighters leaped back on the trailer as the curtains closed. The crowd was pleased with the float and the performance. All of the people who helped before or during the parade deserve a big thanks.
The float was constructed in the Krannert Center garage during the week before the parade. It only took two building sessions to construct the eight-by-eight-by-six foot wooden frame in the parking garage that, at most points, only had six feet of clearance. Building expenses were kept at a minimum. Most of the design for the float was developed by Activities Director Glen Veed.
The entire experience was both enjoyable and memorable. Everyone who rode on the float, walked with the float, towed the float, or built the float had a great time.
Many members of KCSA gathered to put this event together. Thank you again to all of those people, who are too numerous to name.
The float represented the spirit of KCSA very well. Hopefully, this is a Homecoming tradition that will continue in future years.