With Homecoming Week quickly approaching, spectators should expect police presence at a range of events from Oct. 15-21.
On Oct. 15, the University will offer a variety of events for Illini fans, such as the Homecoming 5k on Oct. 15 and the FAA Friends & FamILLy Celebration on Oct. 18. The week caps off with the Fighting Illini facing the Wisconsin Badgers in Memorial Stadium.
Amid the tailgates, parades and celebrations, Patrick Wade, senior director of strategic communications at the University, advises the public to be informed on which parts of campus will be under advisory.
“We shut down roads around the stadium, six hours in advance of the game,” Wade said. “That’s going to be completely normal. You can compare it to any other football game throughout the season.”
Police coverage of the game itself will be no different than that of a normal football game. However, the route for the parade will cause traffic blockages that could revert certain fan routes.
Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!
“Essentially the parade route will be closed during the parade, and that’s obviously to allow the parade to proceed to make sure that spectators have a place where they can enjoy the parade and be safe,” Wade said.
The parade will start at 6 p.m. on Oct. 21 and will close portions of Fourth Street, Gregory Drive and First Street for about 30 minutes. However, after the parade, Grange Grove will host a pep rally that will be under police supervision.
“Just like any other football game, we have officer assignments that cover the band, the tailgating areas, inside the stadium and different traffic posts,” Wade said. “Then any fan restrictions around the game are pretty consistent across the board.”
Despite these restrictions, the University of Illinois Police Department’s goal is to ensure that spectators from across the country have a safe and enjoyable experience on campus.
“We obviously have a lot of visitors coming into our community for Homecoming,” Wade said. “We’re always happy to see them. We try to be welcoming to them and make sure that they have the opportunity to feel nostalgic about Illinois, and enjoy the football game and any of the other Homecoming events in a safe way.”
