ABERDEEN, S.D.?–?Northern State University's annual Gypsy Day Parade took place Saturday, Sept. 20, drawing students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members to downtown Aberdeen.
The parade, which started at 9 a.m., featured an impressive lineup of floats and bands. Participants showcased their creativity with entries aligned with this year's homecoming theme, "Wolves Through Time."
Float Winners:
- First Place: St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center (#22) — $500 cash, tickets to the President's Suite at a Northern football game, and first parade position after grand entry in 2026.
- Second Place: The South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (SDSBVI) (#120) — $250 cash prize
- Third Place: Kessler's (#47) — $100 cash prize
- Northern Spirit Award: Crafted Interiors (#95)
- Thunder Award: The Pooch Parlor (#118)
Band Awards:
- Best Overall Band: Aberdeen Roncalli
- Aberdeen Central High School — Gold
- Hoven High School — Gold
- Holgate/Simmons Combined Middle School — Silver
- Northwestern Area School — Gold
- Roncalli High School — Gold
- Ipswich High School — Gold
- Warner High School — Gold
- Redfield High School — Silver
- Leola High School — Gold
- Miller High School — Silver
- Frederick High School — Silver
- Sully Buttes High School — Gold
- Britton High School — Silver
Following the parade, more than 7,000 people continued the celebration with tailgating and the football game at Dacotah Bank Stadium, where the Wolves defeated Concordia-St. Paul 31-10, adding to the excitement of homecoming.
The annual Gypsy Days/Homecoming celebration continues to strengthen the bonds between Northern State University and the Aberdeen community, showcasing the university's vibrant spirit and tradition.
For questions, contact Chad Hatzenbuhler, Northern State University director of communications and marketing, at chad.hatzenbuhler@northern.edu or 605-626-2046.