When the morning of Oct. 11 arrives in downtown Marshall, don’t expect to hear the music of marching bands or fire truck horns blaring. Don’t expect to see waves of candy flying toward children.

You will have to travel down to the campus of Southwest Minnesota State University to take in this year’s homecoming parade. That’s because SMSU officials decided to move the parade to the campus instead of remaining with the traditional Main Street route.

Why?

Well, SMSU officials say it’s because of the ongoing street construction in downtown Marshall. However, that announcement was made just weeks after another successful Sounds of Summer parade that used the same Main Street route.

Yes, the College Drive construction will still be ongoing on Oct. 11. But as far we know, Main Street will not be blocked by construction.

So what’s the real reason?

One downtown merchant told us that SMSU officials showed up at a recent Marshall Downtown Business Association meeting to discuss the parade. The merchant was shocked when SMSU officials announced the decision to move the parade to the campus.

“It’s a huge hit for me,” the merchant said.

In the news release, Alumni Relations and Outreach Director Hannah Abel said the community was still encouraged to enjoy homecoming events at the university.

“We’re bringing the homecoming parade to the place where Mustang pride runs deepest — our campus.” Abel said in the news release. “This moves strengthens our traditions and creates unforgettable experiences for everyone involved. We invite students, alumni and the Marshall community to come out, celebrate and be part of a historic event.”

We do agree with SMSU that this decision is historic. However, we disagree with the move for one major reason — the Marshall community. The parade not only connects the community with the university, but it also connects the business community with students, alumni and residents who follow SMSU athletics and events.

While we hope this year’s homecoming parade will be a success for SMSU, we urge school officials to remember the community — especially the business community — plays a big role in supporting the university. The very businesses shunned by the parade decision have been major SMSU supporters for years.

For that reason, we urge SMSU officials to bring the homecoming parade back to Main Street next year.