The top three sections of the Music and Speech commuter lot will be closed today and tomorrow to make room for the Kent Bicentennial parade.

Starting today at 4 p.m. and going through 11 a.m. tomorrow, all cars parked in that lot will be towed, said Thomas Clapper, general manager of transportation services.

Larry Emling, manager of parking services, said the Bicentennial parade committee is using the parking lot as a staging area for float organization and parade setup.

Emling suggests parking in lots behind Verder Hall or at the Ice Arena during this time.

“This is a special celebration,” said Karen Barrett, co-chair with Ray Swaney and Rebekah Wright of the Bicentennial parade committee.

The Kent Bicentennial parade will begin at 10 a.m. tomorrow. She expects more than 100 units to be involved in the event, half of which are floats. In addition, four marching bands will also perform.

The parade has been planned since September 2005, and Barrett said it is only one event in a series of celebrations to mark Kent’s 200th birthday.

“I am extremely grateful to the university for its help,” she said.

This is the first time the Kent Bicentinental committee has used Kent State’s parking lots to service any of its events.

“If students have questions (about where to park), a security officer will be there overnight to direct students to other lots,” Emling said.

Contact transportation reporter Erica Weisburn at [email protected].