Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Crowds gathered in downtown Mount Olive on Saturday to enjoy the Mount Olive Christmas Parade. From Ground and Baked to Pickle Parlor, people set up chairs and bundled up in coats and blankets against the cold.
The Parade, scheduled to start at 10 a.m., made it to Center Street at 10:15 with a police and color guard entrance. Floats from local and county government followed as well as fire trucks from all over Wayne and Duplin Counties. The loudest and proudest of which was Engine 2 of Mount Olive. The Mount Olive Fire Department had a reason to be proud.
In addition to presenting in their own hometown, Mount Olive Fire Chief, Greg Wiggins, was the parade’s Grand Marshall. Wiggins came in the first part of the Parade on a vintage blue Chevy 3100 truck wearing full turnout gear.
Several businesses were also present including Jones Hardware, Ms. Robin’s Academy of Dance and Gymnastics, and Piggly Wiggly. Throughout the Parade, there were also many princesses including Ms. Norwayne Alumni Kenna Parks and Wayne County’s Fire Princess Addison West. Most of the princesses rode in on fire trucks, but some were in other cars. Three marching bands presented during the parade: North Duplin, Spring Creek, and Southern Wayne. Rosewood’s ROTC was present as well as at least two car clubs including Corvettes.
The University of Mount Olive came with a tractor and float representing the Agriculture Department. Love Memorial Baptist, Bethel, and Mount Olive Pentecostal Holiness churches presented floats. Most of the floats, fire trucks, and cars threw candy to the crowds. Ollie and Mount Olive Pickles joined the parade. They tossed foam pickles to the crowd and brought the ever popular pickle train. One elaborate float actually threw out fake snow. DJ Power spun some line dance favorites to the crowd as he came through the parade. Nearly an hour after the parade arrived on Center Street, Santa arrived. He rode in on an ATV followed by police closing out the parade. The Parade circled Center and turned on James where it continued to wind its way through town.
