Melissa Wasser arrived at College Avenue for the Homecoming parade at 8:30 Friday morning to set up the area where her sorority, Chi Omega, 101 S. Haller Hall, would watch streaming displays of blue and white.

Wasser (freshman-business) said was pleased with the turnout.

"The parade was great," Wasser said. "We worked hard on our float all week long, and it was fun for us to watch the parade and support our float."

Despite temperatures in the mid-50s, about 40,000 Penn State fans turned out to watch the parade and support the 178 organizations that participated.

"The parade was excellent," said Dave Oechslein, competition chairman. "It was one of the smoothest-running parades we've had."

Sabrina Odland, a 7-year old State College resident, displayed Penn State pride by wearing a Nittany Lion costume. She twirled her red and blue baton in the street as she waited for the parade to begin.

"She's been talking about it all week," said Angel Odland, Sabrina's mother. "She keeps asking, 'When do I get to wear my costume?' "

As the floats passed, many students on board noticed her costume. She received a lot of candy and compliments about school spirit.

Rich Youhouse and his wife arrived at 3:30 to stake out a spot near the judging area to watch their daughter, Christina Youhouse (junior-marketing), perform with the dance team. Although not an alumnus, and not dressed as a Nittany Lion, he has been attending the parade since his children have been at Penn State.

Youhouse joked that he and his wife were at the parade because they were "trying to get our tuition money back."

While the Youhouses arrived before the start of the festivities, other spectators chose to leave later for the parade.

Ryan Day (senior-hotel, restaurant, and institutional management) and Greg Scheitrum (sophomore-architecture) arrived less than an hour before the parade began to see it for the first time.

"So many people put time and effort, I figured I'd see what it's all about," Schreitrum said.

Day prepared for the cold temperatures by wearing several layers.

"I figured since I didn't see it last year, I should see it this year," Day said.

Bill Blake, Class of 1977, sat on a ledge along College Avenue and waited while his wife finished shopping for some blue and white clothing to cover any incidental Wisconsin Badger-supporting red that she was wearing.

"I'm a 26-year senior," Blake said.

Immediately following the 2-hour parade, about 1,000 spectators gathered at Old Main for the pep rally and coronation of the Homecoming king and queen, and the Penn State Blue Band played a repertoire of fight songs.

Ian Rosenberger, Undergraduate Student Government (USG) president, was crowned king while Monica Bhagat, director of multicultural affairs for USG, was crowned queen.

"Overall, the parade and the pep rally went really well," said Ryan Stokes, parade chairman. He said he thought this year's parade was more successful than past years because of the number of people involved.

At the pep rally, Stokes proposed to his girlfriend of about three years, Aleis Myers, Class of 2003.

"I thought proposing after the parade would be special," Stokes said. "My family and her family would be there, and Penn State would always be a special place for us to come back to for the rest of our lives."

Jennette Hannah contributed to this article for The Daily Collegian.