Children scramble to scoop up as much candy as they can as entries in Saturday’s Mount Olive Black History Month Parade pass by in the background. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
The Southern Wayne High School Marching Saints provided music for the Mount Olive Black History Month Parade. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Carrie Kornegay, president of the Carver High School Alumni and Friends Association, holds the organization’s banner during the Mount Olive Black History Month Parade. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office Color Guard leads off the Mount Olive Black History Month Parade. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Many people used cell phone cameras Saturday to capture memories of the Mount Olive Black History Month Parade. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Mount Olive Parks and Recreation Department cheerleaders march behind the Pickle Train during the Mount Olive Black History Month Parade on Saturday. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Jordyn Cox, N.C. Queen of Hope Royal Ambassador, was one of the queens who rode in Saturday’s Mount Olive Black History Month Parade. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
While most people stood, some people brought chairs or sat in or on their vehicles to watch the Mount Olive Black History Month Parade. In this case, a concrete steps display worked as a seat for a parade-goer as a unit of motorcycles passed by. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Young and the young at heart scrambled into the street to snatch up the copious amount of candy tossed out by entries in Saturday’s 16th annual Mount Olive Black History Month Parade.
The annual event, sponsored by the Unity Organization, traditionally attracts a large crowd of people who line Breazeale Avenue from Talton Avenue to the Carver Cultural Center.
People began gathering well before the parade’s 1 p.m. start, some in order to grab a prime viewing spot while others headed to vendors for food.
After stopping by one vendor, one woman was overhead shouting to a friend that, “I have a (fried) pork chop bigger than your head.”
Entries began lining up on Talton Avenue at 11 a.m. The hour-long parade stepped off promptly at 1 p.m. following Breazeale Avenue south to the Carver Cultural Center where it disbanded.
Escorted by Police Chief Jason Hughes, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office Color Guard, closely followed by the James Kenan High School Army JRROTC, led off the parade that featured community organizations, cars, trucks, motorcycles, queens, local elected officials and candidates for office and the Mount Olive Pickle train followed by Mount Olive Parks and Recreation Department cheerleaders
The Southern Wayne High School Marching Saints provided music.
Miranda Cox Haskins, owner and operator of Legacy Cakes & Courtesies located at 2116-B Wayne Memorial Drive in Goldsboro, served as grand marshal.
Gilbert Baez, an Emmy-award winning journalist with WRAL TV 5, who has participated in the parade for several years, stepped out of his car to pass out candy.
