News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Byrdstown encouraging veterans to join this year’s Christmas Parade as Grand Marshalls of this year’s parade.
Byrdstown Mayor Sam Gibson said making veterans the Grand Marshall of the parade will fit this year’s parade theme which is “Home for the Holidays”. Gibson said it is a great way to honor the local veterans outside of Veterans Day.
“The reason that we are able to do the things that we are able to do with the freedoms that we have in this country is because of our veterans,” Gibson said. “And it goes back a long way and you know, we still have got a lot of them here that have participated in a lot of the wars.”
Gibson said he believes honoring veterans in a Christmas parade works as he thinks of movies that have veterans surprising their families during the holidays. Gibson said there is not a deadline for veterans to sign up to participate in the parade but the town will give free shirts to those who sign up quickly.
“If they will do that and give us their shirt size we will try to provide them with a shirt,” Gibson said. “They don’t have to wear it. It’s just another way of saying hey, thank you for your service and that the town of Byrdstown realizes that and we would like to honor you for that.”
Gibson said he hopes to see more veterans sign up by the end of the week.
“We have had quite a few,” Gibson said. “You know we are hoping to have considerably more but we have had quite a few and it’s kind of hard to tell depending on weather and everything else, but we always have a good Christmas parade.”
Gibson said veterans don’t necessarily have to be on a float and can simply drive their vehicle in the parade. Gibson said if veterans choose to drive their vehicle in the parade he would like them to have a banner or sign so people can know who they are.
The Byrdstown Christmas Parade is Saturday, December 7th and will begin at 1pm. The route will start at Pickett County High School and go down Main Street then loop back to the high school.
