GREENSBORO, N.C. (WFMY) -- Blue and Gold take over the City of Greensboro as NC A &T's annual Homecoming, also know as the Greatest Homecoming on Earth (GHOE), kicks into high gear this weekend.
The much-anticipated event kicked off this week and runs through Sunday. Tens of thousands of alumni, students, their family as well as fans, will throng to the city to attend various events including a sold-out football game and a star-studded concert.
FOOTBALL GAME: The Aggies football team takes on Norfolk State on Saturday afternoon after the GHOE parade. The Homecoming Parade is an event many in the community look forward to watching and participating in.
"It lets us say hello to people shake hands, hug and reacquaint our friendship with many many people we've known going on through the years It is a special event," said Eunice Dudley the Co-Founder of the Dudley hair-care empire. Dudley has been a fixture at the parade since 1967.
"This is a tradition. It started when we first started our business because Mr. Joe Dudley Sr. graduated from NC A&T State University from the business department back in 1962," said Eunice Dudley.
In their 51 years of business, the Dudley's have trained more than 30,000 cosmetologists from around the world through the Dudley Beauty School. Like many businesses in Greensboro, they are gearing up to usher in lots of folks into their establishment.
"We'll have a client coming in at 8:30 on Saturday this is not going to the parade they might be trying to get fresh not to get to the game," Dudley said cheerfully.
The 2018 Aggie Homecoming Concert at the Greensboro Coliseum. The concert holds on Saturday, November 3 at 7:30 p.m and features Cardi B, 2 Chainz, Ella Mai, Lil Baby, and DJ E Sudd.
Greensboro police plan to close several roads near campus and place additional officers on duty and they are urging drivers to be aware of road closures, detours, slow-go traffic, and pedestrians.
"The biggest thing we want to make sure is that everybody is safe. Slow down the traffic especially in those areas where you know there's going to be tens of thousands of people. Do slow down a little bit," said Jill Gladieux of the City of Greensboro Police Department.
"Listen to the signs, the officers are going to be there to give you rerouting information if you trying to get to your house or you're trying to get to a location," added Gladieux.
The Aggies are also celebrating a new Top 10 HBCU ranking by U.S. News and World Report.
"Our alumni love hearing about these rankings because it asks for the value to Their degrees no matter they graduated last spring," said Todd Simmons, the Associate Vice Chancellor for University Relations at N.C. A&T.
"Everything needs to be number one for A&T," concluded Ms. Dudley gleefully.
To learn more about the schedule of events, click here.
Police will close several other local streets to make way for the homecoming parade, which starts at 8 a.m. Saturday.
HOMECOMING PARADE ROUTE: The Homecoming parade route will affect street closings starting at 5 am on Saturday, November 3, including Murrow Blvd. from Gate City Blvd. to E. Lindsay & E. Lindsay from Murrow Blvd. to Aggie Stadium and campus. The Parade begins at 8 am and concludes at noon.
ROAD CLOSINGS
Road closures begin at 4 p.m. Friday at Perkins Street and East Washington Street between South Benbow Road and South Booker Street. Parking will also be prohibited on those streets. Those streets will reopen at 6 a.m. Sunday.
The following streets will be closed beginning 5:30 am Saturday to allow for the parade route and other Homecoming activities:
- Sullivan Street from Park Avenue to E. Lindsay Street
- Boyd Street south of Dewey Street to E. Lindsay Street (closed Friday – Sunday)
- Yanceyville Street south of Homeland Avenue to E. Lindsay Street
- Lindsay Street from E. Bessemer Avenue to Yanceyville Street
Note: that Yanceyville Street will be barricaded at Summit Avenue, but not closed to local traffic. Illegally or improperly parked vehicles may be towed from the area during this time. You may still enter and exit the neighborhood using Circle Drive, Dewey Street, Castlewood Drive, Homeland Avenue, Boyd Street, Park Avenue, and Palmetto Street.