Jenks Celebrates Homecoming Without A Parade

The Jenks Homecoming parade was canceled for the first time in years - due to recent rain and soggy weather. Kids and parents had to do without a long-standing tradition.

Lots of people were tailgating and hanging out before the game, and just about everyone had a story about a flat they were supposed to be on in the parade. It wasn't just high school students that had to miss out this year.

By the look of one tailgate football party, you'd never know just hours before, these kids had a pretty big let down.

"We were going to bank footballs and have all the kids have all these foam fingers and things and do our float, and when we got the rain call it was kind of a bummer," said Jenks parent Scott Taylor.

Grey clouds, gloomy skies and the threat of rain on and off all day Friday led school administrators at Jenks High School to cancel this year's Homecoming Parade.

"We don't know, we can't remember the last time we did not have a Homecoming Parade but the safety of our students and patrons is our number one priority," said Bonnie Rogers, chief information officer for Jenks Public Schools.

The Homecoming Parade typically features organizations from all over the community - including little league teams, junior cheerleaders and kids from all the Jenks schools.

"It was kind of a bummer because in 6th and 7th through IFC, we always look forward to riding on the float and getting cheers from everyone on the sidelines, so it kind of bummed me out that I didn't get to watch all the younger guys take it on this year," said student Isaiah Epps.

A bummer felt by some of the schools seniors as well, like Logan Armstrong.

"It is my senior year, I wish I could have been a part of it for senior year and, you know, go out with a bang," he said.

Even without the parade students, parents and kids say, it's still homecoming, and they'll still be making the most of it.

As of right now there are no plans to reschedule that parade.