WATERLOO — Waterloo Regional Police say Wilfrid Laurier University's annual Homecoming celebrations had drawn thousands of partiers, football fans, students and alumni to Waterloo without serious problems by late Saturday afternoon.

Police fanned out over the Ezra Street and Albert Street corridor starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday morning. By mid-afternoon, they'd broken up a handful of house parties with crowds in excess of 200 to 300 people, said Waterloo Regional Police superintendent Pat Dietrich.

Officers had also handed out multiple tickets for underage drinking and open liquor. But there had been no serious problems by the end of the Laurier-Windsor football game, which drew about 9,000 fans to University Stadium.

"Overall, we've had pretty good cooperation from students and no significant incidents up to this point. We hope it'll continue unto the night," said Supt. Dietrich.

He urged drivers to be careful in the areas around campus, where thousands of revelers combined with drinking — in some cases excessive — made for busy streets.

"Please slow down, because there's a lot of pedestrians and they're not always crossing at the crosswalks as they should. In some cases, they're intoxicated," he said.

The annual celebration draws hundreds of alumni back to Laurier each year, who join the sea of purple for the annual football game, tailgate parties, barbecues, dinners, church service and Sunday run.

Greg Daly, 62, and Richard Braiden, 61, were roommates at Laurier in the 1970s and try to come to Homecoming every year to. This year, they brought their sons Jeff Daly ('04) and Michael Braiden ('10) and Kevin Braiden ('13), also Laurier grads.

"It kind of re-invigorates you," said Braiden, a criminal lawyer who graduated in 1975. "I remember being 21 and having boundless energy. It's fun to be around this many young people and that kind of enthusiasm again."

Although their Golden Hawks lost to the Windsor Lancers on Saturday, they didn't seem to mind. The annual get-together it's about feeling like part of one-big university family, they said.

"It's a chance to reconnect for us," added Greg Daly, who graduated in 76. "It means a lot to us to be able to come back here."

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