The weather was perfect for a parade in Demorest Thursday afternoon where a couple of thousand people gathered to celebrate Independence Day….Demorest style. Young and old alike waited patiently for the parade wherever they could find shade from the 92 degree heat.
Parade goers were all smiles, even with the heat of the day, especially the young. Candy was thrown to the crowd from every vehicle and float that went by.
Children led the parade down Central Avenue from Premier Mortgage at Florida Street to Piedmont University, followed by the main procession. This year’s grand marshal was Demorest Elementary School’s April Lahayne’s fourth grade class that won the state reading championship in a global reading contest in February.
All of the participants had an obvious central theme- RED, WHITE and BLUE.
The parade lasted approximately 30 minutes and had several participants, from old cars, to emergency vehicles, motorcycles, horses, and even a helicopter…yes, that’s right a helicopter. An AirLife helicopter made a couple of passes around the parade route that awed those that watched it fly by.
Four year old Danny Blackwell of Habersham County enjoyed the parade. He said after the parade ended that the parade “Maybe….great.”
Aubrey Maichryc, 15, of Habersham County, enjoyed the parade as well. “I think it was really good and it was really fun. I really enjoyed it,” she said.
