Stillwater and OSU prepare for America’s Greatest Homecoming Celebration

STILLWATER – As an estimated 80,000 alumni return to Stillwater for the 2017 Oklahoma State University Homecoming Celebration this week, the City of Stillwater’s public safety team, in partnership with Oklahoma State University’s Police Department, is finalizing its safety preparations for this weekend’s events.

“Our fire, police and emergency management teams plan for these types of events months in advance,” City Manager Norman McNickle said. “We are fortunate to have such a strong group of public safety professionals at the City, on campus and in our community who are ready to protect and serve the public.”

First-responder and community partners include:

• Department of Homeland Security
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• G4S Security
• LifeNet
• Local air ambulance services
• Logan County Sheriff’s Office
• Oklahoma Highway Patrol
• Oklahoma State University
• Oklahoma State University Alumni Association
• OSU Police Department
• Payne County Health Department
• Payne County Sheriff’s Office
• Perkins Police Department
• Oklahoma National Guard
• Stillwater Fire Department
• Stillwater Medical Center
• Stillwater Emergency Management Agency
• Stillwater Police Department

“We are eager to welcome back OSU alumni and visiting college football fans to Stillwater for America’s Greatest Homecoming Celebration,” Mayor Gina J. Noble said. “I am grateful for the hard work our public safety officials have put into their preparations to ensure we all have a safe, fun time this week.”

Chris Batchelder, OSU Alumni Association president and CEO, said: “We have coordinated our Homecoming planning efforts with our partners and are thankful for their service and dedication to our community. We are thrilled to welcome back our alumni to their alma mater to celebrate this cherished OSU and Stillwater tradition.”

OSU Walkaround lasts from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 13. Roads are expected to reopen at approximately 10:30 p.m. The Sea of Orange Parade begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14 moving north on Main Street from 9th Avenue to Hall of Fame Avenue followed by the Cowboy Football kick-off at 2:30 p.m. in Boone Pickens Stadium.

For a full list of OSU Homecoming events, visit the OSU Alumni Association website.