Weather will not scuttle parades
By From staff reports
Published in News on December 6, 2013 1:46 PM
With rain and wind likely Saturday, Christmas parades in Mount Olive, Fremont and Goldsboro are expected to go ahead as planned.
The temperature for Saturday is expected to peak around 65 in the morning before dipping back down to the mid 40s by the afternoon.
"We'll have to make our final call this morning, but I'm confident we'll go for it, still at 4 p.m.," Wayne County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kate Daniels said of the Goldsboro parade. "It's going to be really cold but we don't think the rain will be moving in till later."
If postponed, the parade would be moved back a week to Dec. 14 at 4 p.m.
The parade will go up Center Street from Spruce to Walnut streets before turning east onto Walnut Street. After turning north onto John Street the parade will travel north before turning west onto Mulberry Street. Once back on Center Street the parade will head south back to Spruce Street.
The parade is expected to run from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m.
Sections of James, Mulberry, Walnut, Chestnut, Spruce, Pine and Center streets leading into downtown will be closed or traffic will be reduced at the Goldsboro Police Department's request. Restricted traffic flow will begin at 8 a.m., with all non-parade traffic stopping at 3:30 p.m. Road closures and restrictions will be in effect until 8 p.m.
In Mount Olive, parade units will line up along Henderson Street with the parade stepping off from the Mt. Olive Centre Shopping Center on North Breazeale Avenue.
The route will follow Breazeale Avenue south to Pollock Street, where it will turn left. It will disband at Pollock Street.
Streets will be blocked off just prior to the start of the parade.
The Fremont Christmas Parade, scheduled for 1 p.m., will kick off as planned, rain or shine.
"We'll be there. Santa will be there," parade organizer Keith Stewart said. "I'm not sure who else will be there, but we will be."
The parade will start at the intersection of Vance and Main streets and travel west for two blocks before turning south onto Goldsboro Street.
The procession will then turn east onto South Street before heading north on Dock Street and finishing up at the intersection of Dock and Main streets.