Eureka's parade is back
By Steve Herring
Published in News on November 26, 2014 1:46 PM
EUREKA -- The Eureka Christmas Parade is making a comeback next month after being canceled last year.
"We are going to have a parade," organizer Jimmy Wise said. "We have already had a good response. We sure have. We appreciate everybody who attends, and we hope to have a good parade.
"We are expecting Santa Claus and maybe everybody else."
Two other parades were canceled in 2013 as well, at Cherry/O'Berry and in the Parkstown community. Instead of a parade, Parkstown held a community festival in 2013.
The Cherry/O'Berry parade will, again, not be held. Organizers of the Parkstown community parade have not yet said what their plans are.
But Eureka's event is a done deal.
The parade will be held -- rain or shine -- Sunday, Dec. 14, at 3 p.m. and the route will follow Church, Main, Baker and Martin streets before heading back to Church and Main.
Wise said two high school bands have committed to the parade -- and will join one of the Sudan Temple Shriners miniature vehicle units and the Wayne County Sheriff's Office.
Last year's cancellations were blamed on changes made in state Department of Transportation guidelines for road closures and liability requirements.
Wise said he was told, then, that parade organizers would be required to have every person in the parade sign a liability waiver -- and that when he told the state that was asking too much, neither he or the town felt the parade could move forward.
Wise said he was told later that the changes had not been meant to force cancellations.
"Basically (the state) said, 'Forget the waiver and have the parade like we used to,' and that is what we are going to do," he said.
Then, earlier this year, the state mailed a letter to special event organizers detailing the required submittal of a standard road closure form for special events.
The letter read, "Until further notice, the statement of liability and the proof of liability insurance are not required to be submitted for review. However, because NCDOT is not responsible for the activities taking place during the event, it is strongly recommended to obtain this coverage. It is also advised to submit your request early during the initial planning stages of the event to allow for selecting alternative routes if the requested route cannot be restricted."
To enter a unit in the parade, call Wise at 919-242-3146, Eureka Town Hall at 919-242-5064, or simply show up on the day of the parade.