By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The far-reaching effects of Hurricane Michael have forced Alabaster City Schools to cancel the city’s homecoming parade and community pep rally scheduled for the night of Oct. 10, the school system announced at about 1:40 p.m.

The parade was scheduled to take place at 6 p.m. at a new venue around the new Thompson High School campus after several years of following a route near Larry Simmons Stadium.

“Due to the effects of Hurricane Michael, and the increased possibility of rain and gusty winds, the annual homecoming parade is canceled,” read a post on the ACS Facebook page. “We are finalizing an alternative plan and will be releasing it later this afternoon. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused, but the safety of our students and citizens is a top priority for Alabaster City Schools.”

Instead, the floats constructed for the parade will be on display outside Warrior Stadium from 5-6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 12, and parade grand marshal Bobby Joe Seales will be present. The winning floats will be announced during the Thompson-Vestavia football game the same night.

The community pep rally will be held at a later date during the football season, and the date and time will be announced later.

This year’s parade theme was set to be “Warrior Family,” and all floats were going to be decorated to go along with the theme. Thompson High School alumni, local historian and author of the book “Alabaster and Siluria: The Early Years – A Pictorial History” Bobby Joe Seales was selected to serve as the parade’s grand marshal.

Following the parade, the city was planning to have a community pep rally and fireworks show at Warrior Stadium.

Hurricane Michael, a strong Category 4 system, made landfall on the Florida Panhandle on the afternoon of Oct. 10, but storm clouds surrounding the massive storm are causing heavy rains and high winds across much of Alabama, Georgia and Florida.