UC s MainStreet Stride to be Held on May 15

It’s a head-turning display through the heart of campus – the fourth annual MainStreet Stride red-and-black foot parade kicks off at noon, Friday, May 15, beginning on the plaza in front of University Pavilion. The theme of the parade reflects UC’s “Proudly Cincinnati” campaign to support UC’s vision of becoming one of the best public urban research universities in the 21st century.

More than 1,000 members of the UC community, representing faculty, staff and students, are expected to participate, including the Bearcat Marching Band and the Grand Marshals – the UC Dance Team – international champions after competing last month at the International Cheer Union's World Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Fla. Lucy the Bearcat will also join the parade with an escort from the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.

The parade is a campus tradition following the 2006 completion of MainStreet, a corridor through the heart of campus where people can live, learn, work, dine and play. The parade also kicks off Alumni Weekend.

The MainStreet Stride will start at the plaza in front of University Pavilion and flow through McMicken Commons, Bearcat Plaza (between the Steger Student Life Center and Tangeman University Center) through the Campus Recreation Center Plaza and Alumni Commons, ending with a picnic near the Russell C. Myers Alumni Center.

UC judges will select entries in the MainStreet Stride for prizes such as “Most Spirited,” “Most Creative” and the “President’s Award.” The prize-winners will receive UC gnomes as trophies. The parade judges are UC Football Coach Brian Kelly; University Spokesman Greg Hand; Robin Guarino, the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) J. Ralph Corbett Distinguished Chair in Opera; UC 2008 Homecoming King Terrance McGuire and UC Homecoming Queen Sonya Mueller.

The parade will end on Alumni Commons, the site of the inauguration of the incoming 2009 Student Government. UC Interim President Monica Rimai will induct the eight new student senators, incoming Student Body President Tim Lolli and Student Body Vice President Douglas Ealy. The MainStreet Stride will feature emcee Betsy Ross, president and founder of Game Day Communications.

Proudly Cincinnati: The UC Experience

UC Alumni Weekend Events

MainStreet Stride Registration