Everyone loves a parade, especially when the grand marshal of the parade is the Smokies own sweetheart Dr. Dolly Parton the ambassador of the Great Smoky Mountains 75th anniversary. Yes Dr. Dolly Parton just received her honorary doctoral degree of humane and musical letters from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville just before the parade.
I have to be honest. I never stuck around to watch the parade in Pigeon Forge before and boy did I miss something. Picture Pigeon Forge meets Mayberry and a whole lot of fun and yes - Dolly Parton!
Many of us were real concerned with the surrounding counties under tornado watches and the weather being shaky all day long and I even felt a few drops just before the parade starting at 6 pm but to everyone delight the weather was perfect until the end of the parade and then within minutes Sevier Country was under tornado watch as well!
Boy scouts, baton twirlers and a marching band opened the Pigeon Forge parade followed by Dolly Parton all dolled up like a national park ranger from a Vegas show on a float celebrating the Smoky Mountains national parks 75th anniversary.
Right behind Dolly Parton was a float from Friends of the Smokies - a non profit organization whose fund raising efforts have been an invaluable help to the Great Smoky Mountains national park. Wave to Bob Miller the GSMNP spokesperson and next to him Holly Burcham the Marketing Director from Friends of the Smokies.
The parade continued for miles and took hours to pass and was a mixture of our local heroes: Fire Fighters and Policemen, bands and dancers from local schools, local clubs and organizations, beauty queens, veterans, the Shiners - everyone loves their little cars, trucks and motorcycles, and a whole host of local businesses showing of their entertainers and talent.
Local country representatives and even the Pigeon Forge Trolley and bear got in the action. Don't you just love this little dozer? It was a huge hit with everyone!
There were even some beautiful classic cars parading down the parkway in Pigeon Forge. Not quite the Rod Run but absolutely top notch collectible cars.
In between all of this there were some unusual displays of once sort or another that can only see in a Pigeon Forge parade!
All the "kids" had a great time at the Pigeon Forge parade so be sure to be here next year for the best parade in the Smokies!
No comments:
Post a Comment