Rosy cheeks greet Pikeville Christmas parade
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on December 10, 2016 10:57 PM
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News-Argus/SETH COMBS
News-Argus/SETH COMBS Kids from God's Lil Gifts Christian Center and Daycare offer candy to the Pikeville Christmas parade attendees as they ride down Main St.
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News-Argus/SETH COMBS
News-Argus/SETH COMBS Pamela Evans, left and Destanee Eyres, 6, spend their Saturday attending the Pikeville Christmas parade.
esmith@newsargus.com
PIKEVILLE -- Holiday cheer warmed the crowd during Pikeville's Christmas parade Saturday as temperatures teetered around 40 degrees while the procession rolled through the main thoroughfares of the town.
Six-year-old Destanee Ayers didn't miss a single piece of candy that was chucked her way by the various fire trucks and parade floats.
It was her first time attending the Pikeville parade, though her and her mother have lived in the town for about three years.
"We've lived here for three years but the past few years I've had to work every time they've had it, so this is the first time we've been able to come out," said Destanee's mother, Pamela Evans.
Evans said she is originally from Sampson County and wanted to bring Destanee to the parade because she had been wanting to come since they moved to Pikeville.
Destanee's excitement was palpable as she pounced at the candy thrown her way and smiled at the parade procession.
She was especially excited when the motorcade threw Tootsie Rolls her way, scooping up each one that skipped across the asphalt of the road.
The cars, fire trucks and floats threw candy of all sorts at children lining the sidewalks, including Twizzlers, suckers and hard candy -- each child more excited than the last to eagerly pounce upon the sweets.
Pikeville's parade began at the town park. The route followed Washington Street to Main Street where it turned left. It then traced Main Street to Railroad Street where it turned left again.
The procession arrived via Railroad Street back to the park where it disbanded.
Along the sidewalks on Main Street and Railroad Street, slightly more than 100 people gathered to watch the parade roll through.
Octavius Robinson brought his sons to watch the parade with him.
He said himself and Jeremy Johnson, 10, Jaydin Johnson, 7, and O.J. Robinson, 5, have watched the parade since moving to Pikeville four or five years ago.
"We come every year," Robinson said.
Robinson added the parade was a fun way to celebrate the festivities of the season, and said his children love coming each year.
"They look forward to it every year," Robinson said. "It's a great thing to do with the kids."