Local Christmas parades
By Catharin Shepard
Published in News on November 16, 2008 2:00 AM
News-Argus/MITCH LOEBER
Wayne County commissioners Jack Best, left, Bud Gray, right, and J.D. Evans, top, toss candy to children lining the streets of Seven Springs Saturday during the Seven Springs Christmas Parade.
You better watch out. You better not cry.
A black-booted strike force of goodwill is converging on Wayne County, armed with all the holiday cheer of a herd of red-nosed reindeer.
The Christmas parade season is now in full swing -- with most of the annual marches slated for the next two weeks.
They include:
* The town of Beautancus will kick off the holiday season with the annual parade on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24. Participants should line up on Beautancus Road by 2:30 p.m., and the parade starts at 3 p.m. There is no entry fee. The route runs from Beautancus Road along Luby Byrd Road.
* The parade in LaGrange will be Dec. 4 at 4 p.m. Call 252-566-4758 for further details.
* The Mount Olive Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the city's Christmas parade, which will be held on Dec. 6 at 10 a.m. Parking is available at the Mount Olive Shopping Centre and along Breazeale Avenue. Entry fees are $30 for floats and vehicles, $25 for horseback groups and $10 for walking groups. About 30 entries are already set to roll, but organizers expect many more. For more information, call 919-658-9536.
* The town of Fremont has been holding Christmas parades for more than 25 years. This year's parade will be Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. Parking is available along Goldsboro Street and near the railroad tracks. Entries are still being accepted. There is a $25 entry fee for commercial entries, but there is no fee for non-commercial entries. Call 919-242-4573 for details.
* The Princeton parade is scheduled for 1 p.m. Dec. 6. There is no entry fee. Vendors and parade entries should call 919-936-3571 for more information.
* The Jaycees' annual Christmas parade in downtown Goldsboro will feature "A Charlie Brown Christmas" theme this year. The parade, which is set for Dec. 6, will step off at 4 p.m. Entries are still being accepted, but must be postmarked by Nov. 22. More information is available by calling 919-735-6962.
* The town of Faison has been hosting parades for more than 20 years, and this year's will roll Dec. 6 at 5 p.m. There is no entry fee to join, but participants are asked to call and sign up by Dec. 1. Parking is available at the park, Piggly-Wiggly and along the streets near the parade route, which starts at the city limit sign and travels down Main Street.
* The fourth annual Pikeville Christmas parade will be Dec. 7 at 4 p.m. Parking for people attending the parade will be available along Railroad Street. Entry applications are available at town hall, but city officials have not decided on an entry fee. In previous years, the entry fee was a donation of canned foods or gifts for needy children. For more information, call 919-242-5126.
* The Parkstown Christmas parade, once a holiday tradition for locals, was revived in 2006 after nearly four decades of dormancy. Thanks to Shirley Perry, Douglas Rowe and other hard-working committee members, the parade has made a comeback and will be held for the third time this century on Dec. 11 at 3:45 p.m. Call 336-275-0641 for more information.
* Cherry Hospital and the O'Berry Neuro-Medical Treatment Center are co-sponsoring "A Christmas Fantasy"-themed parade on Dec. 12 at 3:30 p.m. Entries will be accepted until Dec. 5. There is no entry fee. Parking will be available along the sides of Old Smithfield Highway 581 North. For more information, call 919-731-3417 or 581-4572.
* The town of Eureka will celebrate the season with a parade on Dec. 14 at 3 p.m. Participants are asked to arrive at 2 p.m. to line up on the Davis Street extension. People driving large vehicles should drop off passengers on Davis Street and park at the cemetery on East Main Street. There is no entry fee, but entrants are asked to bring cash and canned goods to donate. For more information, call 242-5064 or 242-3146.