For more than 80 years, Harrisburg High School students and community members have marked homecoming week with a tradition unlike any other: the Snake Dance.
The event dates to the 1940s, when the community would gather in the town square and join hands to “snake” its way through the streets and yards, winding toward the football field. The path ended under the lights of Taylor Field, where the homecoming game awaited.
“It was always a big deal in the ’60s and ’70s,” said Cheri Golish, a 1979 graduate. “I lived on Ledford Street when I was a child and remember seeing all the students running up and down the street and weaving through the yards.”
The tradition earned its name not from music or dancing, but from the motion of the participants. Students, band members, cheerleaders, letter girls and even townspeople linked hands in a single-file line and zigzagged their way to the field. Over the years, the dance has been a school wide effort. Cheerleaders, lettergirls, the band, twirlers and dancers have all played their parts over the years getting the student body excited about the dance.
By the 1970s and ’80s, the tradition had grown so large that the line of participants stretched from the high school all the way to the field without breaking hands.
Today, the Snake Dance looks a little different, but the spirit remains. Instead of starting downtown, students gather at the Bulldog mascot statue before heading toward Taylor Field. The cheerleaders and homecoming court lead the way, weaving through the route as classmates follow behind. The journey ends at the field for the announcement of homecoming king and a celebratory bonfire.
In recent years, the Snake Dance has typically been held on the same day as the homecoming parade, winding down after an afternoon of school spirit. This year, however, the schedule is changing.
The 2025 Snake Dance will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15, two days before the parade. The adjustment comes because of a scheduling conflict at Taylor Field. While unusual, school leaders said the move will allow the event to go on without disruption.
Weather, however, remains one of the greatest threats to the tradition. In years past, storms or heavy rain have forced last-minute cancellations.
“We didn’t get to do the Snake Dance during homecoming last year because the weather was so bad,” said Bella Dooley, a senior in the class of 2025. “It was a tradition that was very missed.”
When the dance is canceled, the community gathers indoors instead, often moving forward with the Mr. Bulldog competition. Still, students and alumni say there is no substitute for the feeling of snaking through town together.
Though its form has shifted over the decades, the Snake Dance continues to connect generations of Harrisburg residents to their school and to one another. With every step toward Taylor Field, the tradition reminds the community of its roots while looking forward to the excitement of another homecoming week.
