LA GRANGE — There were music, dancing, candy and baseball cards.
Attendees at the parade in La Grange honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. got a little of everything Monday.
A color guard and a La Grange fire truck kicked things off in a traditional fashion, followed by several members of the town council, including Mayor Woody Gurley, Mayor Pro Tempore Bobby Wooten, Councilman Clifton Harrison and Councilwoman Veronica Lee.
Allen Suggs, a Vietnam veteran from Snow Hill, said he came for the parade because of King’s legacy.
“There’s been a lot of progress made, since I’ve been here,” Suggs said, adding, “You wouldn’t have even saw this years ago.”
Several churches joined the procession. Mt. Cavalry Free Will Baptist Church members drove along pulling a flatbed trailer covered in children who waved signs with inspirational messages about keeping King’s dream alive. At least three groups of motorcyclists rode by, their bikes festooned with flags and several playing music.
A number of parade participants threw candy to the crowd. Carl Long, who broke the color barrier with the Kinston Eagles in 1956, tossed baseball cards.
“It’s a good parade. We love it,” said Pauline Wooten of La Grange. “We love to come out and support the parade — it’s something we never had when we came up.”
Salute entered two trucks in the parade, with one towing a child-sized boat painted to look like a Coast Guard ship.
The parade had two marching bands — one from E.B. Frink Middle School, and the band and flag squad from Eastern Wayne High School. At the end of the route, the group from Eastern Wayne played an extended performance routine that led one woman, a visitor from Goldsboro, to get quite excited as she cheered them on.
The parade was organized by the La Grange NAACP Youth Council.
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 or wes.wolfe@kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at WolfeReports.