MTSU students, staff and alumni are enjoying a New Orleans-style homecoming.

While the Blue Raiders’ football focus remained on visiting Vanderbilt for the 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, Homecoming Game, students, staff and alumni focused on the Big Easy and the Crescent City, complete with Mardi Gras beads and masks and the party atmosphere of Bourbon Street.

Despite the rain Saturday morning, several hundred Blue Raider fans lined East Main Street for the annual Homecoming Parade, which traveled a new route this year.

For decades, MTSU students, alumni and friends of the university have a tradition of homecoming events leading up to the big game, including the parade. Campuswide, homecoming is a unifying way of having food, fun and fellowship around the game and events leading to it.

An MTSU student adds his part to add to one of the floats entered into the 2015 MTSU Homecoming Parade, which traveled down a new route along East Main Street on Saturday in Murfreesboro (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)

MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee high fives students participating in Saturday’s Homecoming Parade along East Main Street in Murfreesboro. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

MTSU students Brandon Woodruff and Brianne Knight were chosen as king and queen of the 2015 MTSU Homecoming Court. Woodruff and Knight were crowned during halftime of the Oct. 3 football game pitting the Blue Raiders against the Vanderbilt Commodores. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

“Homecoming is a celebration of what MT means to its students, alumni and community,” Alumni Relations Assistant Director Rhonda King said.

“It’s important to reflect and appreciate our past, while reveling in the present. Homecoming gives everyone a chance to enjoy themselves as part of the Blue Raider family and get their True Blue on.”

“Big Blue Easy” is the theme for Homecoming 2015. Most student activities began Sept. 28 and continued throughout the week. Visit www.mtsu.edu/sga/homecoming-events.php for the complete list.

For the alumni events schedule, visit www.mtalumni.com and click on the featured items related to homecoming.

MTSU senior Amanda Pierce of Murfreesboro, the Student Government Association homecoming director, said, “I literally get the chills when I think about homecoming. It’s my favorite time of year, and I am blessed to have this chance to share my love and passion with the MTSU community.”

Swedish duo Icona Pop performed Thursday, Oct. 1, in Murphy Center.

MTSU 2015-16 Distinguished Alumnus Jeffrey Bonner, center, (Bachelor’s in Business Administration/Class of 1982), is flanked by other honorees including, from left, Britnee Kinard (recording industry/Class of 2005), the True Blue Citation Service to Community recipient; Richard Key (business/Class of 1962), True Blue Citation Service to University recipient; Charles Massey Jr. (art and English/Class of 1964), True Blue Citation Achievement in Education from outside MTSU recipient; and Dr. Derek Frisby (history and international relations/Class of 1994), True Blue Citation of Distinction Achievement in Education (current or retired MTSU faculty) recipient. Not pictured is Eric Paslay (recording industry/Class of 2005), the Young Alumni Achievement honoree, a country music recording artist and songwriter who is on tour. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

Distinguished Alumni honorees were recognized at Friday, Oct. 2, in the Sam Ingram Building’s MT Center. Golden Raiders features the Class of 1965.

The Alumni Association provided the start to Homecoming Day with its Mixer on Main Party at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 3.

To find parking and event and building locations, a printable campus map is available at http://tinyurl.com/MTSUParking2015-16.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)

Hundreds of MTSU fans turned out Saturday for the “Mixer on Main” event along East Main Street in conjunction with the Homecoming Parade. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)