As the honored Americana tradition of homecoming returns to the South Shore after a year of COVID restrictions, local schools are making an effort to come back as strong as years past.

In Bayport-Blue Point, the homecoming parade kicks off at 10:30 .M. this Saturday, Oct. 16, with seniors displaying their traditional float. This year, due to spacing availability restrictions, freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will have thematically linked smaller pieces.

Float construction began last Friday in classrooms throughout the building.

“Our goal is to have a positive event like in years past,” said principal Robert Haas.

Bayport-Blue Point, who stands in second place of their division at 4-1, will play the undefeated first-place holders, Shoreham-Wading River.

Sayville, whose homecoming is also this Saturday, Oct. 16, will kick off their parade at noon with members of the youth cheerleading squad (aged 4) joining. Sayville’s football team is undefeated this season and will come up against also undefeated East Islip.

The school has officially partnered with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to raise funds for the cause.

Float construction began on Monday and will continue each night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. until Friday. The theme this year is “genres of music,” with seniors selecting rock-and-roll; juniors, pop; sophomores, country; and freshmen, disco.

The Sayville Rotary Club judges the winner with three components: float execution, float-building participation, and class participation in Spirit Week (which included Formal Day, Tropical Tuesday, Country vs. Country Club, USA, and Sayville Schools).