New bands, balloons and stickers will be in store for spectators at this year’s Veishea parade.

“We are focusing on getting the audience more involved instead of just watching,” said Kerryann Mehmen, Veishea parade co-chair. “We hope to provide more entertainment this year.”

Mehmen said one way parade organizers hope to increase audience-parade interaction is through Veishea stickers. Mehmen said 25,000 stickers, designed by Emily Rahe, junior in marketing, will be distributed during the parade to spectators.

Veishea parade co-chair Richard Prestegard, senior in agricultural business, said some new additions to the parade should also make it more enjoyable. Prestegard said these new additions include four vehicles, including two humvees from the Army and more marching bands than in past years.

“We are trying to give the parade more entertainment value,” Prestegard said. “We want spectators to come away from the parade with a good feeling.”

Another new feature this year will be a KURE announcing station near the Science II Building. The station will provide additional entertainment to the crowd by announcing some of the floats as they pass and playing music. The second station will also bring the parade “closer to the crowd,” said Mehmen, junior in agricultural education.

The Veishea parade will start at 10:40 a.m. on Saturday, April 20. The parade begins at the intersection of Bissel Road and Pammel Drive and ends in front of the Memorial Union.

More than 100 entries are expected for the parade, including five traditional, self-propelled floats and five helium-filled balloons.

A number of “local celebrities” will be in attendance, Mehmen said, including Iowa Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson and Ames Mayor Ted Tedesco. President Gregory Geoffroy and his wife, Kathy, will serve as the grand marshals for this year’s parade – the first of the president’s tenure.

Prestegard said he believes the parade will be a success due largely to students’ involvement. The parade co-chair said more clubs and organizations on campus are participating in the parade than last year.

“We want to show the diversity of Iowa State in the parade and showcase what Iowa State is all about,” Prestegard said.