'Title Town USA': Tallahassee to celebrate FSU, FAMU athletic exploits with parade, party

Arianna Otero, Tallahassee Democrat
For FSU and FAMU, it could be the greatest combined college football regular season in Tallahassee history.

Get ready for a parade and party, Rattlers and Seminoles!

After a front page appeal from Tallahassee Democrat Sports Editor Jim Henry and urging from countless residents and fans, city and county leaders gathered Thursday morning to say "we have heard the voices of our community."

City Commissioners Dianne Williams-Cox and Curtis Richardson joined County Commissioner Bill Proctor in unveiling the news.

They shared that there will be a joint celebration for the city's championship teams including the Florida A&M and FSU football teams, which clinched division championships on the same day, and the Seminole women's soccer team, which is fresh off of winning its fourth national title. The FSU women's volleyball team was also named ACC co-champions after a dominant season.

They'll be sharing the celebration of their athletic exploits with the Martin Luther King Day Parade with the blessing of parade organizers.

"We're coming together under a big banner," said Proctor noting that the celebrations "capture the essence of Martin Luther King’s commitment to America and the importance of 'the content of character.' "

"It's a canopy broadened to hold all of the ideas of Florida State and Florida A&M and all the excellence captured in this community," Proctor said.

The parade will be held Jan. 15, 2024, and while the commissioners repeated throughout the event that details would be forthcoming, Williams-Cox offered a sneak peek.

"We're marching together and we invite you to join this very merry celebration," said Williams-Cox. "So we will have a parade then we will have further details about what happens ... but we will be going to Cascades Park after the parade."

After the beloved Winterfest parade was cancelled due to rain and FSU and FAMU won their division championships just hours apart, longtime sports editor Jim Henry posted a column Monday calling for a "citywide celebration" and something like "a Garnet and Green party or parade" for the teams after they made Tallahassee history. It appeared on the front page a day after the Seminoles were snubbed for a college playoff bid.

In the hours and days after Henry’s column, the Democrat was inundated with letters of support for the parade and celebration. Here’s just a sampling.

  • “I’m all in for a statewide celebration for our universities. This is would be an awesome display of unity for Florida’s university system.” - Dr. Jessie Owens

  • “These young student-athletes need to know that we are proud of how they have handled adversity, hard work and dedication. There needs to be some positivity in this community after the tough year of hurricanes, shootings and politics.” - Dr. Linda Teague, Tallahassee

  • “I believe a parade and street celebration similar to the Christmas Parade on Monroe Street would be a wonderful show of solidarity as well as city pride. Floats, both school bands, university and city officials, Coaches serve as Grand Marshall’s along with player participation. There are so many proud supporters in and outside the city that would love to show our delight in both schools and their accomplishments.” - Rose Platt, Tallahassee

  • “Good idea Jim. Championships don’t come around very often. Any championship. So we have to celebrate all of them. I’m in too.” - Bob Knight, Tallahassee

  • “Let’s do a big party between the universities that connects FSU and FAMU fans and demonstrates pride, commitment, and mutual support. These players have worked so hard, and they deserve to be celebrated! Moreover, Tallahassee itself really could use the morale-booster. (We need a "unity in the community" event again!). We can all unite behind our hometown teams - even those of us who are new to sports. A celebration where FSU and FAMU players and their fans can be celebrated would be the start of something good and would be the igniting spark for our city's bicentennial celebrations.” - Melinda Stanwood, Tallahassee

Richardson and other city and county leaders agreed. They also acknowledged and lamented FSU's exclusion from the playoffs, but are looking forward.

"We are in Title Town USA and we are going to celebrate those students, their coaches, the staff, all who have played a role in making this happen here in the City of Tallahassee," said Richardson. "We're not going to be dismayed by the six person committee tells us about our team."

Arianna Otero is the City Solutions Reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@tallahassee.com or on Twitter/X @ari_v_otero

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee, Leon share plans for parade, party for FSU, FAMU athletes

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