From pirate ship floats to King Kong reenactments, Northwestern’s Homecoming Parade is a chance for organizations to showcase their school spirit, get creative and take a walk on the (born to be) wild side.

This year’s parade is scheduled to begin Friday at 8 p.m. near The Arch and will feature 16 floats and a variety of banners interpreting this year’s “Born to Be Wild” theme. As an event that coordinators said draws an estimated 5,000 onlookers, the parade is a cornerstone of Homecoming Week.

Although Greek organizations form the majority of parade participants, any student group can enter a float, said Parade Coordinator Derek Linkous, a Weinberg senior.

The Homecoming Committee is trying to get more non-Greeks involved, but many groups lack the physical space or resources to create a float, Linkous said.

For many organizations, timing is of the essence when deciding whether or not to participate in the Homecoming Parade.

“Dance Marathon used to do a float, but they’ve changed their timeline and where they devote their resources,” Linkous said.

But returning participants Special Olympics created their “King Kong, NU Style” float on a budget of only $75, which went to the rental of a U-Haul flatbed and supplies, said organization co-chair Jillian Durkin.

“We’re going to have someone in a gorilla costume,” the Weinberg senior said. “I just hope it’s not me.”

Durkin said she views the float-making process as a chance to bond while fostering school spirit.

“Homecoming Parade is a good opportunity to get the whole board involved in something at the beginning of the year,” she said.

In addition to the Special Olympics entry and 11 Greek floats, the Residential College Board and interdenominational Christian group Cru. are partaking in the festivities.

“Cru. is a new addition to the parade,” Linkous said. “They’re our only religiously affiliated float.”

Parade participants are tackling the “Born to be Wild” concept in a variety of ways. Delta Gamma is partnering with Beta Theta Pi to craft a “Wild and Crazy Kids” float, inspired by the Nickelodeon TV show, according to Weinberg sophomore Liz Letke, DG’s float liaison.

Chi Omega is joining the Evans Scholars on a “Born To Be Wild…Cats”-themed float.

“It’s set in Dance Marathon, because that’s such a big Northwestern event. We’ll have people dressed up as famous NU alums, such as Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Stephen Colbert,” said Jen Simpson, the Weinberg senior spearheading her sorority’s parade entry. “Last year, we did a ‘Caddyshack’ theme, which was just adorable because of the connection between golf (and the Evans Scholars).”

For Linkous, highlights of his past three Homecoming Parades include seeing a diner scene float created in 2005, and Delta Chi’s elaborate “Pirates of the Caribbean” float for last year’s “NU Goes to the Movies” theme.

This year’s grand marshal Clinton Kelly, host of The Learning Channel’s “What Not to Wear,” also will be mixing things up by riding alongside students on one of the Homecoming Committee’s two floats.

“Usually the grand marshal rides in a convertible, but Kelly didn’t want that,” Linkous said. “He wanted to be closer to the students.”

The five students were selected to appear on the float alongside Kelly after correctly answering online trivia questions. They will wear unfashionable clothing in a nod to Kelly’s makeover show.

“The parade is great because it’s a campus-wide project,” said Weinberg senior James Wang, who worked on Delta Chi’s float for last year’s parade. “It’s a chance to build teamwork and community.”

Reach Alexandra Ilyashov at [email protected].