Huntington High School will celebrate Homecoming Day on Saturday. A week of festivities will culminate with an 11 a.m. parade through the village and up New York Avenue followed by a 2 p.m. Blue Devil varsity football game, performances by the marching band and Highsteppers dance team, the crowning of the Homecoming king and queen and the announcement of the winning class float.
All eight Huntington UFSD schools will be represented in the parade along with high school clubs, district PTAs, the Huntington Foundation and other groups. There will be some surprises, too. Washington Primary School is creating its own float.
The entire community, including elementary grade students and seventh and eighth graders at J. Taylor Finley Middle School are invited to the Thursday night bonfire. There will be inflatables, games and a DJ playing music. The Huntington Booster Club will be on hand grilling food. Festivities will run from 6-9 p.m. in front of the high school.
All four classes will build their respective float over five hours on Friday night at the high school. The floats will be constructed based on this year’s Homecoming Day theme: Board Games. The creations are expected to be especially creative, colorful and eye-catching.
“This year’s Homecoming Week features some new and exciting events and we are looking forward to a great culminating weekend,” Huntington High School Principal Brenden Cusack said. “On Thursday, we will have our first annual homecoming bonfire! This will be a spectacular event that is fun for all ages. Many clubs are planning activities for all. There will be food, music, games, inflatables and more. In the evening, we’ll introduce our varsity football team and then light up the night with our bonfire as a symbol of Blue Devil pride. On Friday, our pep rally will take place out on the field of Blue Devil Stadium and Float Night will commence on Friday night, which is always a huge attraction for our students. We are looking forward to beautiful weather for the parade and football game on Saturday afternoon. It’s a great week for Huntington High School and the entire school community.
Several generations of alumni are expected to participate in Huntington High School’s Homecoming Day festivities on Saturday. The bleachers are expected to be packed for the 2 p.m. football game against visiting Copiague. Halftime will see the Blue Devil marching band performing its 2019 field show, “Disruption.” The Highsteppers will also be performing their high-powered routine.
Superintendent James W. Polansky and Mr. Cusack will crown the Homecoming king and queen at halftime. The winning class float will also be announced during the extended halftime festivities.
The traditional Friday afternoon pep rally, which has been moved this year from Louis D. Giani Gymnasium to Blue Devil Stadium, is being eagerly anticipated. Coaches will introduce their teams, the Highsteppers and Ready Step dance teams will perform and the Blue Devil marching band will entertain students and faculty members.
“There are so many new things happening this year and the school is really looking forward to putting their best into it,” Student Government President Christopher Mavrogian said. “Numerous clubs and honor societies are participating in the Thursday night celebration to make it as welcoming as possible for the entire community with food and mini-games for all to enjoy. In addition to this, classes have had to speed up the float building process for an earlier homecoming this year and are producing amazing results. Float Night and the parade will be more than stellar this year! It will be a homecoming that will be in the books for sure.”
Shuttle Bus Available for Parade Participants
Those participating in Saturday’s parade can utilize a shuttle bus, which will running back and forth between Huntington High School and the Gerard Street parking lot which is the step-off point. The bus will run from 10:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to ferry parade participants to and from their cars.
No tickets are required for Saturday’s 2 p.m. football game. Admission is free. The Huntington Booster Club will be on hand selling food, refreshments and an assortment of Blue Devil apparel items throughout the game.
