A Parade, A Mascot and a Green Lamborghini
One of my favorite traditions in Auburn is the annual university Homecoming parade. (To be fair, I think Auburn does a great job with parades and I seem to enjoy all of them, including the Mardi Gras and Christmas parades.) As you can imagine, Homecoming brings a palpable energy to the the campus and subsequently the town as a whole. Alums flock to their old stomping grounds, students are still optimistic about the football season, and generally everyone is excited for the start of fall, which is arguably the best time of year in the South. What's so endearing about the parade is that it serves as an opportunity to get the little ones excited about Homecoming and Auburn University as well. While they may not understand what all of the participating organizations are, or why frat pledges all seem to wear the same khakis/blazer/orange & blue striped tie, the kids do understand that people throwing candy at them is fun, and that mascots are cool!
The 2026 edition was a success once again. Unlike years prior, when we made intentional plans to meet up with folks, the festivities kind of snuck up on our family this year, so we were sort of rushed to get out of the house and we didn't make plans to view the parade with anyone other than ourselves. Of course when what seems like half the town attends, it's inevitable that you'll run into several folks you know. That said, this year our family headed out Hey Day Market to grab dinner--pizza for the boys and Waffles & chickcn for the ladies--and then we grabbed space on Thatch, right near the start of the parade. The neat part is that each of us had a different "favorite part". Kenna Grace always enjoys the cheerleaders, I'm impressed with the band, Caitlin likes recognizing participants that she knows from various facets of life, and Cian's highlight was the most noticeable. Given his passion for cars, he was thrilled to see what was perhaps his first-ever Lamborghini. This one was lime green and even demonstrated its engine volume toward the end of the parade when he ran to catch a glimpse of it a second time. Of course Aubie, the university mascot, closed the parade, on a Auburn City fire truck, which is always appreciated as well!
And while each of us enjoyed certain aspects of the parade more than others, I truly think my favorite part is simply the mood it inspires amongst the throng in attendance. It's a fantastic way to start the weekend, enjoy some time outside and appreciate the town and community we live in!
Now back to Aubie, quickly. As someone that doesn't get too worked up about mascots, I want to recognize that this character is truly special. Ever since we moved here five years ago, we have seen Aubie at numerous functions, and he really does an incredible job of not only getting the crowd excited but engaging with kids. And the civic duty of Auburie extends well beyond just the sports fields and parades. We've seen him at 5K's, church/school fundraisers, block parties, and on one special occasion he and cheerleaders came to lead the diners at Chappy's in some cheers. Apparently Aubie has won numerous national mascot awards and it does not shock me at all. Not only is he ever present but he is a delight ot watch. Although I wouldn't claim Abuurn as my favorite college, Aubie just might be my favorite mascot. And I'm certainly not the only one that feels that way here in town. (Speical shout out to Tim Arnold, our neighbor, who served as Aubie 14 & 15.)
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