Children look toward Shawnee Mission High School as they begin to hear the marching band play. Photo credit Kylie Graham.
With sunny skies and early school releases, hundreds lined Mission Road in Prairie Village on Thursday afternoon to watch this year’s Lancer Day Parade.
It’s an annual tradition kicking off the start of a new school year — and football season — at Shawnee Mission East.
And one that usually draws a large crowd to the stretch of Mission between the school and the Shops of Prairie Village.
“The girls picked our position in hopes of getting early candy,” said Samantha Mockaitis, who was positioned on the corner of 73rd Terrace and Mission with her daughter Dylan and her three friends.
All four girls enjoyed getting out of school a bit early to see the parade and get a taste of what high school will one day be like. They will all eventually be Shawnee Mission East students, they said, and hope to be cheerleaders there.
Along with children, parents of Shawnee Mission East students, as well as school alumni and curious community members enjoyed the floats during the 30-minute parade.
Floats included those bearing members of the Shawnee Mission East administration, marching band, football team, alumni, choir and more.
Here are some scenes from the 2023 Lancer Day Parade:
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The Shawnee Mission East Marching Band led the start of the 2023 Lancer Day Parade on Thursday, August 31. Photo credit Kylie Graham.Children lined the sides of Mission Road collecting candy from the parade floats. Photo credit Kylie Graham.Lancer football players cheer while riding in a float Thursday. Shawnee Mission East will play Gardner-Edgerton for their first game of the season Friday. Photo credit Kylie Graham.Children scramble for candy as parade floats pass by. Photo credit Kylie Graham.Members of the Shawnee Mission East swimming and diving team throw out candy to children and families along Mission Road. Photo credit Kylie Graham.Samantha Mockaitis (left) sits with her daughter and friends before the start of the parade. The children said they are excited to be future Lancer cheerleaders. Photo credit Kylie Graham.Shawnee Mission East cheerleaders toss out candy from a CandyLand-themed float. Photo credit Kylie Graham.Some children planned ahead and brought bags to fill up with candy as the parade passed by. Photo credit Kylie Graham.A student from the Lancer Dancers float hands out candy. Photo credit Kylie Graham.Alumni representing the Class of 1963 participated in the parade. Photo credit Kylie Graham.Hundreds of community members gathered to watch this year’s Lancer Day Parade. Photo credit Kylie Graham.
Kylie Graham is a Johnson County native and freelance photographer.
Kylie Graham is a Johnson County native and graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who does freelance photography around the Kansas City metro.
