The Christmas season in Greenwood kicks off Friday with the 86th annual Roy Martin Delta Band Festival and Christmas Parade.
“We are very glad to go back to a normal Christmas parade. We’re looking forward to having it back to the way we love and know and remember it,” said Beth Stevens, executive director of the Greenwood-Leflore County Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the event each year.
Last year, because of the pandemic, the chamber held Roy Martin in Reverse, a drive-through parade along the original parade route throughout Greenwood.
“It was fun; it was something different,” said Stevens. “We wanted to do what we felt was in the best interest of everyone’s health and safety, so we came up with the reverse parade idea. It worked, and we made it happen, and I think people appreciated the effort that we put into trying to still continue to have an event without it jeopardizing people’s health and safety.”
The parade, held annually on the second Friday after Thanksgiving, will start at 5 p.m.
The chamber is currently continuing to receive parade entries.
“We’ve received a good many,” Stevens said about the entries. “We’re still light on bands. We didn’t have any bands last year. Because of COVID, nobody was traveling, and a lot of schools were closed. So we’ve got some bands coming back this year.”
All of the area high school bands will be performing in the parade.
Missing, however, will be Mississippi Valley State University’s band, which will not be performing at any Christmas parades this year.
“We will miss them this year because we always anchor our parade with Valley’s band at the end,” said Stevens.
Included in the about 50 entries already submitted will be a variety of floats, dance troupes, civic groups and miscellaneous entries, such as big inflatables, fire trucks and mascots, among others.
“It will be a little bit of everything,” said Stevens.
Santa, of course, will be on a float, which will cap the parade festivities.
This year’s parade marshals will be Andy and Karen Pinkston, longtime owners of Lusco’s restaurant.
A Greenwood institution for 88 years, Lusco’s closed in September. Andy and Karen owned and operated Lusco’s for 44 years.
“They’ve made such a significant contribution to the culinary aspect of this community over the years,” said Stevens, “and we thought that it would be a fitting tribute for them to be our parade marshals this year.”
The chamber is still accepting parade entries. Entries can be floats, bands, musical and dance groups, mascots, inflatables, beauties, civic and community groups, and other entries. Musical entries to participate alongside high school bands are encouraged. That includes caroling groups, small ensembles, party bands, drumlines, gospel groups and more.
There is no fee to enter a float in the parade, and entries should be submitted to the chamber. Forms are available online at greenwoodmschamber.com or at the chamber, 402 U.S. 82 W. Parade entries may be submitted up until Thursday.
Lineup begins at 1 p.m. in the downtown area along Rail Spike Park on Johnson Street. All entries should be in place no later than 4:30 p.m.
“I think just returning to a normal Christmas parade is the thing I’m most looking forward to,” said Stevens. “I think that’s what people are ready for — just the hustle and bustle of everything around town on parade day, bands rolling into town, floats circulating, just that general excitement of what comes along with parade day in Greenwood.”
The parade will begin on Carrollton Avenue, then travel up Howard Street, make a left turn at Market Street and a right turn onto Fulton and travel along the Keesler Bridge and onto Grand Boulevard.
Cars parked on Howard Street and Market Street are asked to be cleared no later than 3 p.m.
Stevens recommends for residents to be aware of the influx of people in town on parade day and to not block the route with vehicles.
“Be mindful that there’s a lot of traffic, and it’s going to be slower to move around town,” she said. “We’ll have police officers out directing traffic, so please be patient and be mindful of them, and make sure you are following the traffic directions.”
After the parade, there will be a fireworks show, which is sponsored annually by the Greenwood Convention and Visitors Bureau. The fireworks show will be held over the Yazoo River in downtown Greenwood.
The chamber is also seeking volunteers to help carry the inflatables.
For more information about the parade or to volunteer, call the chamber at 662-453-4152.
- Contact Ruthie Robison at 581-7235 or rrobison@gwcommonwealth.com.
