Here's how Mizzou students decorated downtown Columbia storefronts for Homecoming

Legend of Zelda is the theme at Bubble Cup Tea Zone.

Hudson Hawk Barber Shop has a Mario Brothers display.

And at Lakota Coffee Co., the focus is Fortnite.

Members of University of Missouri student organizations on Thursday decorated dozens of downtown storefronts, allowing them to connect with the town and allowing businesses to join in the Homecoming spirit for Decorate the District.

The organizations must contact the business owners to explain their plans, said Alana Hatanaka, a junior from Hampshire, Illinois, near Chicago. She's a campus liaison for Phi Sigma Pi, a co-ed national honor fraternity.

She was at Bubble Cup, with the Legend of Zelda theme.

It's retro, she said of the video game.

"It's a great way to meet people," she said of the event.

Decorate the District went ahead last year despite COVID-19, with students wearing masks, though the Homecoming Parade was canceled. The parade is back on this year and the students decorating the windows were unmasked.

It feels more like Homecoming this year, Hatanaka said.

"It's a fun time," she said.

Phi Sigma Pi will be walking in Saturday's parade, she said.

Students from Pi Beta Phi sorority and Phi Delta Theta fraternity were decorating Hudson Hawk Barber Shop with the Mario Brothers theme.

Haleigh Dahl, a freshman from Lawrence, Kansas, was painting Mario.

"I've never been to a Mizzou Homecoming," Dahl said.

The fraternity and sorority will have a float together and also walk in the parade, she said.

"It's lots of work, but super fun," she said.

The whole town gets into the Homecoming spirit, unlike Lawrence, home of the University of Kansas, she said.

"It's been really interesting," Dahl said. "There's no homecoming tradition where I'm from."

Members of Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity were decorating Lakota with the Fortnite theme.

"It's been super popular lately," said Christian Marble, a St. Louis junior, about the online game.

He said he no longer plays the game.

"I did a while ago," he said.

Another member volunteered that he still plays Fortnite and his mom does, too.

Lakota is one of his favorite places to get coffee and he loves walking downtown, so he felt connected with the town before Homecoming, Marble said.

"I think Homecoming is such a great tradition," Marble said. "Honestly, it's such an amazing week."

The MU Homecoming Parade returns at 9 a.m. Saturday winding through campus and downtown.

Kickoff for the Homecoming football game against North Texas is at 3 p.m. Saturday.

A spirit rally is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Friday at Traditions Plaza.

rmckinney@columbiatribune.com

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