East Lansing drivers should plan alternate routes Friday, Sept. 18, as the East Lansing High School homecoming parade shuts down streets along its downtown route for two hours.

The parade steps off at 5:30 p.m. and follows a loop through the heart of the city, according to a city of East Lansing announcement. Streets along the route will close at 4:30 p.m. and reopen when the parade wraps up, around 6:30 p.m. The city encouraged residents to line the streets in support of the East Lansing High School (ELHS) celebration.

The route runs south on Old Hickory Lane, west on Burcham Drive, south on M.A.C. Avenue, east on Albert Avenue, north on Bailey Street, west on Burcham Drive and north on Old Hickory Lane. The East Lansing Police Department will be on site to manage closures and ensure safety.

After the parade, the Trojans host the Grand Ledge Comets at 7 p.m. at East Lansing High School, 509 Burcham Drive. The homecoming matchup is listed as a league game on MaxPreps.

Grand Ledge entered the season 2-0. The Comets beat Holland West Ottawa and Battle Creek Lakeview by at least 19 points each, according to the Lansing State Journal. Grand Ledge finished as the CAAC Blue runner-up behind Division 3 state champion DeWitt last season.

The Trojans, coached by Bill Feraco, opened 0-2 with losses to Midland (7-14 on Aug. 27) and Hudsonville (0-49 on Sept. 3), according to MaxPreps. Both teams played Week 3 games on Sept. 11, but results were not available as of Sept. 15.

East Lansing reached the MHSAA District Final last fall before losing to Midland Dow, 12-21, on Nov. 7, 2025. That playoff run showed the Trojans can turn a season around.

The Trojans' next scheduled home game after Sept. 18 is Sept. 25.