KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The University of Tennessee at Knoxville will celebrate Homecoming 2021 with one of the greatest women’s basketball players of all time serving as Homecoming parade grand marshal.

Candace Parker, beloved to Lady Vols fans young and old, will make her return to Rocky Top as grand marshal after bringing home the first-ever WNBA championship to her hometown Chicago Sky.

As the Tennessee Volunteers football team will look to secure a major upset against No. 1 Georgia at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 13, the week leading up to that will be filled with school spirit and honoring Neyland Stadium’s 100th anniversary with the theme, Charge the Checkerboard.

It all begins on Nov. 7 after the Vols travel over to Lexington, Ky. to take on the Kentucky Wildcats. There will be over 30 events for current students, alumni and the public to celebrate homecoming. University of Tennessee’s full list of homecoming events here.

Featured homecoming events

• Nov. 7: Chalk Pedestrian Walkway, 11 a.m. at Johnson-Ward Pedestrian Walkway. Competition hosted by All Campus Events. Participating groups will create chalk designs to promote Homecoming week and the UT spirit.
• Nov. 10: Tower of Cans, 9 a.m. at locations across campus. This spirited competition challenges participating groups to build a display with the tallest tower of cans. Canned goods will be dropped off at the UT Recycling Center and donated to Big Orange Pantry, UT’s campus food pantry, which provides emergency food and assistance with basic needs for students, faculty and staff.
• Nov. 12: 21st Annual Southeastern Stomp Fest, 7 p.m. at the Student Union Auditorium. A signature Homecoming event, Stomp Fest is an opportunity for the student body, alumni and the Knoxville community to enjoy high-energy stepping performances by National Pan-Hellenic Council fraternities and sororities.
• Parade and Little Vol Walk: The annual Homecoming parade will take place at 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 12. The parade starts at on Volunteer Blvd. across from the LaPorte Track and Field Stadium. The procession will head north, passing Circle Park and down Peyton Manning Pass, finally turning right onto Phillip Fulmer Way past Thompson-Boling Arena. View the parade map.
  
  The parade brings together UT and the city of Knoxville, showcasing student organizations and community floats. This year’s grand marshal is Candace Parker (’08), former Lady Vol and star forward for the 2021 WNBA Championship team, the Chicago Sky. Children ages 10 and under are invited to participate in the parade’s Little Vol Walk, where they can walk on foot or ride along in wagons or strollers. Advance registration is encouraged.
  
  Risers will be set up near the judges table at the corner of Circle Park and Volunteer Boulevard. Please contact Maddie Stephens (msteph44@utk.edu) if you plan to attend.
• National Pan-Hellenic Council Monuments Dedication: As part of the Homecoming celebrations, UT will host the unveiling of nine new monuments dedicated to the National Pan-Hellenic Council. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni are invited to the dedication ceremony on Johnson–Ward Pedestrian Walkway Saturday, Nov. 13, three hours before kickoff. The ceremony will feature remarks from Chancellor Donde Plowman, Vice Chancellor for Student Life Frank Cuevas, NPHC President Abigail Saulsberry and other campus administrators.
  
  NPHC, or the Divine 9, is composed of nine historically African American sororities and fraternities. The monuments are a symbol of the university’s commitment to celebrating diversity and inclusion. The university broke ground on the project in 2019, and construction was completed this past summer.