Time is running out for anyone interested in submitting an application to place an entry into the 15th annual Mount Olive Black History Month Parade. That goes for vendors, too.
The deadline for both is Friday, Feb.17.
Applications are available at Mount Olive Town Hall, 114 E. James St., and at the Goldsboro Branch of the Wayne County Public Library, 1001 E. Ash St., Goldsboro or by calling Vicky Darden at 919-658-3961.
There is no entry fee.
The annual event, sponsored by the Unity Organization, will be held Saturday, Feb. 25. The rain date is March 4.
The theme will be “Unity for the Community: History in the Making.”
The parade will feature marching bands, floats, motorcycles, antique cars, clowns and more.
No horse entries will be allowed.
Vendors will be selling food, including funnel cakes, hot dogs, chicken, turkey legs and funnel cakes.
“We are getting candy ready to be thrown out during the parade,” said Darden, who is one of organizers.
The Rev. Dwight Merritt, pastor at Church of Deliverance in Mount Olive, will serve as grand marshal.
Parade entries will line up between 11 a.m. and noon on Talton Avenue.
Signs will be in place to direct traffic to the line-up area.
Talton Avenue will be a one-way street on parade day, and parade units should enter Talton Avenue from the Old Mount Olive Highway.
The parade will turn left (south) onto Breazeale Avenue (U.S. 117 Business). The route will follow Breazeale Avenue south to the Carver Cultural Center (the old Carver High School) where it will disband.
Darden said she wants churches in Wayne, Duplin and Sampson counties to participate in the parade.
“I want all pastors to line up behind him (Merritt) and all the funeral home cars to line up behind the pastors,” Darden noted.
She expressed thanks to the late community leader Ora Jean Truzy who fought for and got the parade going.
“I also want to thank Sheila Oates and Mr. Ricky Fair for coming on board when they did,” she said. “I just want to thank both of them.
“We want to thank those who have given us donations to help put this parade on.”
