Today, the whirlwind of excitement following UM’s national championship football team’s romp for the roses will wrap up, culminating in a full day of celebration.
At noon, a tickertape parade will march down the streets of downtown Miami.
Later this evening, the University of Miami student body will celebrate on campus, honoring the undefeated Hurricanes at 7 p.m. on the Campus Green.
“This day of celebration is tradition. Every National Championship team at Miami has been honored this way,” said Mark Pray, head of athletic information for UM.
According to Pray, the university is working with the county to arrange the celebration. The school is preparing for the evening’s party while Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami are planning the parade.
Beginning in Bayfront Park, the parade will begin and stretch west down Flagler Street, rounding all the way to the Miami-Dade County Courthouse, and conclude with a pep rally on the courthouse steps.
The parade will star the Hurricane football team players, along with their coaches and managerial staff, riding in cars and fire trucks, which will be provided by the county.
Sebastian the Ibis, the university’s president, Donna Shalala, and Mayor of Miami, Alex Penelas, will also be featured in the caravan.
Setting the pace for the parade will be the “Band of the Hour” while the UM dance and cheerleading teams are certain to excite the crowd.
At 7 p.m. the celebration will carry on to the University Campus Green, which is located between the library and the School of Law on campus.
UM alumnus Roy Firestone (currently with ESPN) will host the event along with the “Voice of the Hurricanes,” Marc Vandermeer.
Food, fireworks, and a live music performance by Libido will cap the day’s events.
While all public schools in Dade County will cancel classes in observance of a teacher’s holiday, classes at UM are expected to meet as scheduled.
Whether or not UM classes will be cancelled for this memorable event appears to be under consideration by the provost, although no official holiday has yet been declared.
Attendance at both events is free and free transportation on the Metrorail to the parade is available with a ‘Cane Card. Any additional questions can be directed to 1-800-GO-CANES.
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Coral Gables
Thursday, April 18, 2024
April 18 , 2024
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The Miami Hurricane is the student newspaper of the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. The newspaper is edited and produced by undergraduate students at UM and is published in print every Tuesday and online everyday during the academic year.