Monterey Graduation Parade To Honor Seniors

Monterey High School’s 2020 Senior class will not walk across the stage on May 16th, but they will dress in caps and gowns and parade through town.

Monterey Alum Rebekah Bohannon-Beeler, said the idea was born from a Facebook group urging community members to “adopt” Monterey seniors to honor them for the achievements.

“Instead of everybody being on an actual stage, Commercial Avenue is going to be the stage, and they’re going to drive their cars down Commercial Avenue to the high school and hopefully we’ll line the streets and everybody will get to see them,” Bohannon-Beeler said. “This way it won’t be an invitation-only graduation, everybody will get to share in this.”

Local businesses along the route are encouraged to show their support by decorating their storefronts. Attendees are encouraged to decorate their cars to support the seniors as well. Whether or not you have a friend or family member graduating, Bohannon-Beeler said the community is encouraged to line the route and show support for the senior class.

Bohannon-Beeler said it is important to honor the 2020 graduating class in a special way.

“Everybody needs to come out and celebrate them,” Bohannon-Beeler said. “They have been handed such a hard year, and they didn’t get to celebrate the way they deserve to be celebrated.”

Students will line up their cars just down from the depot in the parking lot of the old box factory. The parade route will then travel along Holly Street between the depot and farmers market to the Holly Street and Commercial Avenue stop light. The route then heads right on Commercial Avenue, coming to an ending at Monterey High School.

Bohannon-Beeler said in case of inclement weather, a rain date has been set for May 23rd, 2pm.