Brinley Hope, 2, must have been a very good girl this year as Santa handed candy to her during Saturday’s Christmas parade. With her is her father, Austin Healey of Grantham. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
The Wayne Shrine Club Mini Rigs were a popular entry in the Mount Olive Christmas Parade. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
With temperatures in the 60s, the Wayne County commissioners float had to provide is own snow — actually created by a soapy substance. Among those on the float were Commissioners Chris Gurley, left, and Joe Daughtery, right. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
The Southern Wayne High School Marching Saints provided Christmas music for the Mount Olive Christmas Parade on Saturday. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
The roar of motorcycles and sports cars and the blaring sirens on fire trucks during Saturday’s Christmas parade prompted young and old alike to cover their ears. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
A colorful Christmas train chugged its smoky way along the parade route. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Walker Daw came prepared to snag as much candy as he could during the Mount Olive Christmas Parade. Along with picking up candy thrown from parade participants, Walker would hold up his large container for people riding on parade entries to toss candy into. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Children are a blur as they scramble to pick up candy tossed out by parade participants. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Members of Girl Scout Troop 389 wave and throw out candy from their homemade float. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Grace Strickland, 3, of Grantham reaches out for candy being given out by a walker with the UNC Health Wayne unit in the Saturday, Dec. 2, Mount Olive Christmas Parade. Grace had already gotten her candy and was trying to help her brother, Malachi Strickland, 1. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
The Mount Olive Parks and Recreation Department Pickle Train was full of riders in the Mount Olive Christmas Parade sponsored by the Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
The Grinch was in the Christmas spirit posing with from left Jhene Pearsall, 6, Quanita Freeman, 5, and Nascir Seaberry, 10, following Mount Olive’s tree-lighting ceremony on Friday. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce President Julie Beck welcomes the hundreds of people to the Friday night, Dec. 1, Christmas tree-lighting ceremony. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Philip Merrill writes his letter to Santa under the light provided by his grandmother’s, Marilyn Merrill’s, cell phone, as his twin sister Nancy checks it out. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Carson Potter, 2, son of Justin and Nicole Potter, was intrigued by the colorful lights on the town’s Christmas tree. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Roasting marshmallows was one of the many activities during the family friendly Christmas tree lighting held Friday, Dec. 1, at the Southern Bank Parklet. From left the Herring family of Grantham, Stacey, Kelsey, Hunter and Robert of Grantham, roast marshmallows. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Kaylyn Mumford is all smiles as she waits on Melissa Kilpatrick to fill a bag of popcorn for her following the Friday night, Dec. 1, tree-lighting ceremony. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Santa hands back the doll that 18-month-old Aryden Niemond was willing to let him hold. However, she wanted no part of getting too close to Santa and Mrs. Claus even with her father Doogie Niemond holding her during the Friday Christmas activities downtown. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
The town’s decorated communications tower can be seen in the background as people pose with the Grinch following Friday night’s tree-lighting ceremony. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Aryden Niemond was more than willing to share her baby doll with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
But otherwise the 18-month-old wanted nothing to do with the couple who visited Mount Olive Friday night to help the town welcome the Christmas season.
The Clauses were among the many attractions that brought hundreds to downtown Mount Olive Friday night, Dec. 1, for the annual tree-lighting ceremony.
They returned Saturday, Dec. 2, as thousands lined the streets for the 150-unit Christmas Parade. Retired educators Ed and Hilda Cromartie served as co-grand marshals, a parade first. They were selected from community nominations.
Both events were sponsored by the Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce.
“I was extremely happy about the turnout for the Christmas tree lighting,” Chamber President Julie Beck said. “Attendees loved all of the the activities. The most popular were especially visiting with Santa, taking wagon rides, decorating cookies and roasting marshmallows.
“The Mount Olive Chamber appreciates the partnership with the Mount Olive Exchange Club. Friday was a wonderful evening to kick off the Christmas holidays in Mount Olive.”
Beck called Saturday’s parade “amazing.”
“We had one of our largest parades,” she added. “Parade participants had a great time and the attendees loved it as well. The smiles on the children’s faces and their full candy bags were a testament to their excitement with the parade.
“It was a great weekend of Christmas activities for our Mount Olive citizens and visitors.”
Hundreds attended the Friday night, Dec. 1, event held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Southern Bank Parklet, at the corner of South Center and East Main streets.
And thousands lined the streets for the Saturday morning, Dec. 2, Christmas parade. Children and adults alike brought bags to hold the mounds of candy tossed out during the parade.
One family forgot to bring a bag, but quickly improvised by using a fast food bag.
The Friday night activities included lighting of the town Christmas tree and communications tower, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, hayrides, roasting marshmallows, Pickle Train rides, decorating Christmas cookies, a Christmas ornament craft, popcorn and drinks, candy canes, pickles and photos with Santa.
The Exchange Club of Mount Olive sponsored a food truck rodeo, fairy hair and the cookie decorating.
The rain that had been forecast earlier in the week held off, although the parade was held under threatening skies. Temperatures were mild both days, hovering in the 60s even as bands played Christmas music during the parade.
The parade included the Southern Wayne and North Duplin high school bands, elected officials, church and civic groups, military veterans, cars, motorcycles, fire trucks, the Wayne Shrine Club Mini-Rigs, cheerleaders, beauty queens, homemade floats, horses and even a camel.
