The 27th annual Millersville parade will take place on Saturday, Sept. 21. At 8:30 a.m., the procession will start in front of Penn Manor High School, 100 E. Cottage Ave., and it will follow its traditional 2-mile route before concluding at 10:30 a.m. near the Student Memorial Center on James Street.

This year, the theme of the parade is "Dinosaurs, Dragons and Mythical Creatures," and participants will be encouraged to incorporate their favorite prehistoric animals and fantastical beasts in floats and decorations.

The date of the parade has been changed to occur earlier than previous years to accommodate both Penn Manor High School and Millersville University's homecoming festivities and fall sports schedules. The date of the parade was also modified to lessen the chance of unfavorable weather conditions, after spectators braved the rain last year. "We were able to get most of the parade in before the rain hit, but you lose bands in those instances because the instruments can't stay outside," said Lydia Yeager, director of university events at Millersville University. "We're grateful to the community for toughing it out with us."

The parade will feature various floats, vintage cars, representatives from civic organizations and veterans' groups, as well as marching bands from across the county. Every year, marching bands travel to Millersville from outside Pennsylvania to perform in the parade alongside local bands such as the Penn Manor High School marching band.

The Millersville Parade was started 27 years ago by a group of volunteers whose main goal was to bring Millersville University and the local community closer together. After over a quarter of a century, the event has evolved into one of Lancaster County's biggest parades, often attracting upwards of 15,000 contributors and spectators.

"It'll be what people have come to expect and love about our parade," Yeager said. "We've found our niche with the timing, size and length of the parade to offer a bit more variety as the parade has evolved over the years."

More than 100 volunteers work together to make the parade possible each year. Volunteers fill many different roles, and they assist by directing traffic, assembling inflatables and carrying banners and flags. The annual parade is also made possible by the support of several local service organizations and businesses that sponsor the event or provide volunteers.

For more information, visit http://www.millersville.edu/parade.