The prospect of a little wet weather isn’t going to stop Friday’s 79th annual Roy Martin Delta Band Festival and Christmas Parade.
The parade, which begins at 4 p.m. on Johnson Street, is “the official kickoff for the holidays,” said Beth Stevens, executive director of the Greenwood-Leflore County Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors and organizes the annual event. “We’ve got some really good quality bands and floats.”
She said the weather forecast for Friday has actually improved since the beginning of this week.
“Here, the weather changes every five minutes,” Stevens said.
The forecast for Friday afternoon calls for cloudy skies with an 80 percent chance of showers and isolated thunderstorms. Highs will be in the lower 70s
This year’s participating bands include those from Greenwood and Leflore County high schools, Mississippi Valley State University, Mississippi Delta Community College, Jim Hill High School in Jackson, Holly Springs High School and East Jefferson High School in Metairie, Louisiana.
One new feature of the parade this year will be the “Beauties Float,” which was built by the carpentry and construction students at Greenwood High School’s Career and Technical Center.
The chamber’s “Country Store” float will be used by the B.B. King All-Star Choir, Stevens said.
Stevens said some other new elements have been added but declined to elaborate about them, saying only, “When people see them, they’ll know.”
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
