It was great to have the enthusiasm and energy of Kansas University homecoming spilling over to downtown Lawrence last week.

For more than 20 years, KU had pretty much kept its homecoming events on campus, but last year the university renewed the tradition of a homecoming parade down Massachusetts Street. This year’s parade reportedly drew thousands of spectators on Friday night. The parade and the pep rally that followed coincided with the monthly Final Friday arts event in downtown which probably helped contribute to the crowd.

KU’s homecoming planners helped organize a whole week’s worth of events, including various alumni gatherings, student contests and other celebrations. Among the special features of this year’s festivities was KU graduate Rob Riggle, who served as grand marshal of the homecoming parade. The presence of the popular actor and comedian probably also helped contribute to the Massachusetts Street crowd.

It’s a tribute to the relationship between Lawrence and KU that even during a lackluster football season, thousands of townspeople — many of them wearing crimson and blue — would turn out to watch the parade and support the university. It’s interesting to ponder how much larger or more enthusiastic that crowd might have been if the parade were held this coming Friday, after this week’s developments in the KU football program.

Downtown no longer is the retail center of Lawrence, but it’s still the heart of the city. It’s where Lawrence residents and visitors still gather to celebrate and hang out. Friday’s homecoming parade no doubt was a boon to downtown businesses as well as a welcome expression of the strong town-gown relationship between KU and the city it calls home.