Kids of all ages brave cold for parade, goodies

Top ‘costume’ in the Tiny Tots category for boys were Landon, Logan & Liam Rich, all three of them under six.
Of the many hours spent by parents, grandparents and young adults, this was likely one of the more time-consuming.

Kids of all ages brave cold for parade, goodies
By Bob Robinson

GREENVILLE – Kids and parents were shivering Oct. 24 as they lined up for the annual Beggars Night Parade, sponsored by the Greenville Lions Club. The temperature on South Broadway’s Second National Bank read 39 degrees. It felt like 20.

Some kids were dressed for the weather; most were not. They were in their Halloween costumes shivering and waiting for the parade to begin. It was 6:30. The Greenville High School Band of Pride knocked out a couple tunes as they prepared for the march “up north” to the Greenville Circle. Wavettes and many band members were not dressed for the weather but appeared unfazed.

One youngster, Nathan, made a great Chucky, running around with his sword, p0ssibly to keep warm. Audrianna – one of the kids who wore a warm coat until the parade started – proudly showed off the ‘horse’ she was riding. Liam and Charlie grinned for the camera as Mario and Luigi, while the team of Landon, Logan and Liam brought Thomas the Train to life.

Suddenly the fire trucks started moving, the band formed up and began playing, and the kids from various age groups showed off their (or their parents’ or grandparents’) costume creativity.

About 20 minutes later (the clock now read 37 degrees) the parade reached the Greenville City Building and the judging of best costumes began. Following the decisions of the judges, contestants walked through a side entrance of the building and out the front to receive their awards. There were seven categories. The winners for each are:

Tiny Tots – Girls: Audrianna Kendall (the girl riding the ‘horse’), Brianna Hill and Bailey Foster. Tiny Tots – Boys: Landon, Logan & Liam Rich (Thomas the Train), Silas Williams and Hayden Burns. Ages 6-10 – Girls: Brooke Ferguson, Cara Hartzell and Chelsea Randall. Ages 6-10 – Boys: Christopher Kincer (w/dad Fred), Jacob Wilkerson and Tristan Frye. Ages 11-16 – Boys & Girls: Lane Hartzell, Madelyn Breig and Ashley Strosnider. Groups: “Fellowship of the Rings” – Ken, Carrie, Lily, Lucy, Winifred, & Henry Stiefel; “Low-Rider Dice” – Abigail & Michael Barton; and “Thing 1 & Thing 2” – Aly & Madi Nelson with the “Cat In The Hat” – Lizzie Hart. Adults: Eric Foudray & Richard Shafer, Joey Bright and Ryan Hill.

Following the parade children filled their Trick or Treat bags with candy and other goodies from Downtown Greenville merchants, starting first with Greenville firefighters at the Circle and extending south on both sides of South Broadway to Annie Oakley Park.

Published courtesy of The Early Bird