Texas Southern's 99th Homecoming: Parade Through the Third Ward, Then Southern at 2 p.m.

Texas Southern University's 99th Homecoming reaches its biggest day on Saturday, October 24, starting with the Homecoming Parade through the historic Third Ward. The City of Houston's special events calendar puts staging on Cleburne Street between Scott Street and Tierwester Street, with the parade beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Cleburne at Tierwester, heading west on Cleburne, south on Emancipation Street and east on Wheeler Street, and concluding on Wheeler between Cleburne and Blodgett. Walkers and bands disband east on Tiger Walk, and floats and cars disband south on Ennis Street.

After the parade, the day moves to the Yard. TSU's official Homecoming site describes the Yard Experience — tailgating, live music and Vendor Village shopping and eating from Houston businesses — and the university's published schedule sets the Ultimate Tailgate Experience at 10 a.m. The Box Houston's Homecoming guide notes that tailgate spaces for the Ultimate Tailgate Experience are sold out.

The football game kicks off at 2 p.m. CT at Reliant Stadium, where the Tigers take on Southern University, according to TSU's official Homecoming site. At halftime, TSU's Ocean of Soul marching band goes head-to-head with Southern's Human Jukebox — a battle of the bands the university bills as one of the most anticipated halftime shows of the year — and a Homecoming Concert closes the day after the game.

Drivers around campus should plan for the parade route on Saturday morning and for a second closure the city calendar lists for Homecoming: Blodgett Street between Ennis Street and Tierwester Street, closed from noon to 8 p.m. TSU's published schedule also asks attendees to clear campus by 9 p.m. Saturday — tents, vehicles and equipment out — and to follow the directions of university personnel and security.