![[Masthead]](http://www.stategazette.com/images/nameplate.png)
RSS
Print
Email link
Respond to editor
Read comments (4)
Share link
Facebook
Twitter
del.icio.us
Digg
StumbleUpon
Technorati
Newsvine
Reddit
Google
 |
| McIver's Grant Public Library placed first in the civic and religious float entry category. Their float was named 'New and Old at the Library'. |
Monday night was Dyersburg's 59th annual Downtown Dyersburg Christmas Parade, which was put on by the Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber of Commerce. The parade, which is said to be the largest in recent memory, had over 200 entries with the theme of "Christmas through the eyes of a child".
Many businesses and organizations built floats, which is what a lot of the people attending the parade came to see.
 |
| Christ Classical Academy had a three-part float with family, fantasy and faith scenes. |
"It's still great to see people put out the effort to build a float and addressing the theme," said Director of Downtown Development Steve Guttery.
The float winners are as follows:
Industrial/Commercial category: First place-Fine Arts Warehouse and Third place-McDonald's
 |
| The name of the Dyersburg Chapter of the FFA float was 'A Candy Land Christmas'. The members incorporated different types of crops into the candy theme. |
Civic and religious category: First place-McIver's Grant Library; Second place-Finley Cub Scouts Pack 280; Third place-Ripley Church of God.
The Fine Arts Warehouse float was in celebration of their 10-year anniversary and had voice, dance, piano and all-star cheer students. The McDonald's float had none other than Ronald McDonald himself.
The McIver's Grant Public Library float had characters from different stories. The Finley Cub Scouts Pack 280 was riding aboard a $300,000 CN train replica and Ripley's Church of God had a nativity scene.
 |
| Ripley's Church of God placed third with their nativity scene in the religious and civic float category. |
The parade's grand marshal was Danny Demon and even Miss Tennessee 2009, Stephanie Whittler, made a royal appearance.
Kicking off the parade was James Mosley of the Dyersburg Fire Department singing the national anthem.
The judges for the evening were Steve and Patty Williams, Patrick Williams and Danielle Williams all of Newbern. Serving as emcees of the parade were Charles Dawson and Debbie Bradshaw Hart.
 |
| 2009 Miss Dyer County Pre-Teen Queen Katelyn Gargus (left) and her court, Olivia Childress, ride atop a new Corvette driven by Cole Shelton. Sitting in the passenger seat is Miss Tennessee 2008, Ellen Carrington. |
Dignitaries present were Rep. Craig Fitzhugh, Rep. Judy Barker, Dyer County Mayor Richard Hill, Allen and Holly Hester and Judy Gregory. Dyersburg Mayor John Holden was at City Hall handing out hot chocolate for city employees involved in the parade.
Guttery said the parade would not have been possible if it were not for Jan Jernigan who literally assembled the parade. The Dyersburg/Dyer County Leadership Club directed this year's parade and there was also a new system in place to assemble the parade.
"Doing it this way seemed to make the parade flow better," said Guttery.
He also said they would be getting to work soon on next year's theme.
Visit www.stategazette.com to see video from the parade.
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. If you feel that a comment is offensive, please
Now all they need to do is rope off a few feet from the curves, people just kept moving up too close and blocked a few peoples view and they werent listening to the passing notes guard units too swell lmbo
I THINK THAT THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE PARKING I HAVE A 2 YR OLD AND WAS TRYING TO GET WERE WE COULD SEE FROM THE TRUCK EVERYWERE I WENT THE POLICE WOULD DIRECT ME BACK OUT OF TOWN AND THIS WAS AT 6.00 PM AND HR BEFORE IT EVEN STARTED AND ANOTHER THING WAS HOW LONG IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE GAPS BETWEEN ONE ANOTHER I REMENBER WHEN I WAS A KID HERE IN DYERSBURG THAT IT TOOK LONGER TO GET HOME THAN THE PARADE WAS BUT AS FOR WHAT I SAW OF THE FLOATS WERE GREAT BUT NONE OF OUR MANUFACTORS HAD ANYTHING IN THE LINE THATS POOR
yeah may have been a great parade if i could have seen it. i,m om crutches and had thesame problem with not being able to get to park where i could see it from truck. i guess the handicap are suppose to stay home and not be able to enjoy the parade.
It would have been a small parade if it was not for the cars!!