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All eyes were on Towson's golden boy Michael Phelps for the Parade of Gold on Saturday.
The procession advanced south along York Road, beginning at Burke Avenue and ending at the Drumcastle Government Center.
Phelps, who grew up in Rodgers Forge and attended Towson High School, won an Olympic-record eight gold medals in Beijing in August.
Other medal winning swimmers in the parade were Towson resident Katie Hoff, who takes classes and is an assistant swim coach at Loyola College, and Jessica Long, a Paralympic world record setter.
"I came out because [the Student Government Association] really was pushing for students to come out and see the Parade of Gold, to support the 2008 Olympians for all their hard work, and because Michael Phelps is beautiful," Asya Henriquez, SGA senator, said.
Thousands of onlookers, including community members, Towson students, faculty, staff and local celebrities, lined the streets along the border of the University and beyond in anticipation for the most decorated Olympian of all time.
Preceding Phelps in the line of Baltimore flair were the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, Batman and Robin, a bevy of local high school bands, Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger, Ravens cheerleaders, The Oriole Bird, and U.S. Senator Ben Cardin.
"It's something that is a really big part of Towson's history. This is something that everybody who goes here will remember forever, whether you're a freshman just starting out or a senior about to graduate," Lauren McDade, an SGA senator, said. "It's a really cool way to bring the Olympics home. So many of us were excited to watch history be made over the summer. Then to have it hit home a little more, literally 'hit home,' it kind of ties in with the Homecoming theme."
Fans waved to Hoff as she passed by in a classic white Mercedes convertible. Members of Phi Mu descended upon Debbie Phelps requesting autographs as she drove by in a classic black Lincoln Continental.
Eagerness for Phelps' appearance grew as the Towson High School band played Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger."
And then all eyes turned and in the distance parade attendees could see the outline of Phelps, waving to his "Phans."
Some "Phans" went from sitting or standing to running, chasing after the Hummer that carried Phelps to the end of the parade.
As Phelps passed, the once massive crowd dissipated quickly.
For some, the parade was an excuse to go outside on a nice day.
"I came out today to see everybody and to get free stuff," Ryan Grasso, a senior human resources management major, said.
"He's from the Towson area so it's pretty cool seeing him after the Olympics and stuff."
A small number of the parade attendees were less excited to see Phelps and the other American icons.
Members of the Westboro Baptist Church, who are notorious for protesting the funerals of fallen soldiers and Virginia Tech tragedy victims, began protesting the parade at the intersection of Cross Campus Drive and York Road.
They brandished signs that read "God Hates Michael Phelps," among others containing derogatory slurs toward homosexuals.
Baltimore County Police officers acted as a barricade between WBC members and angered parade attendees.
Senior elementary education major Jessica Gray said she observed Phelps's sister mouth the words "God hates Michael Phelps?" in disgust.
"I think that they should go home… Out of respect for him and his family they shouldn't do that at his parade," Gray said.
Still, the ill sentiments of a handful of protestors did not dampen her day.
"I was really excited to see him walk by, that was my favorite part of the day… I want to marry him one day," Gray said.
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