With the theme “Peace on Earth,” the annual Harlan Christmas Parade will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, bringing thousands of Harlan Countians to crowd downtown Harlan, the U.S. 421 bypass and Village Center to catch a glimpse of the more than 63 floats and displays scheduled to line this year’s parade.
This year’s parade will also mark a first for the Harlan County High School marching band, as well as the school’s JROTC, as the new consolidated groups with students from across the county will march together in the parade for the first time.
Leading the parade as grand marshall will be Pat Bryson, director of Sunshine School and the Harlan County Chamber of Commerce’s Harlan Countian of the Year.
“It’s certainly a new experience for me. I do feel honored,” she said.
Twenty-two years ago, Bryson founded Sunshine School in an effort to improve literacy in the county. On Nov. 13, she was named as the Harlan Countian of the Year during the chamber’s annual awards banquet. Bryson, originally from Shelby County, Tenn., said she felt humbled by the chamber’s selection.
“I truly consider Harlan my hometown, even though it isn’t,” she said. “I felt that by them naming me Harlan Countian of the Year, they felt that way too.”
Bryson will lead the parade down Main Street, as it has traveled for many years, down to Mack’s Supermarket, where it will follow U.S. 421 to Village Center, circle the parking lot and come to an end.
Also participating in this year’s parade will be state Sen. Brandon Smith, State Rep. Fitz Steele, Miss Harlan County Homecoming Emily Dixon, Little Miss Kentucky Rylie Maggard and Miss Harlan County Beauty Queen Haylee Couch.
Continuing a long-standing tradition, Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus will bring up the end of the parade.
Floats will begin to line up on North Main Street at Baxter at 11 a.m.
Parade Lineup 2008
1. Harlan Police Department with Mayor Danny Howard
2. Harlan County High School JROTC
3. Harlan Honor Guard
4. Grand Marshal Pat Bryson
5. Harlan County Judge Executive, Joe Grieshop
6. State Senator Brandon Smith
7. State Rep. Fitz Steele
8. Harlan County Sheriff’s Department
9. Harlan County Chamber of Commerce President
10. Miss Harlan County Homecoming, Emily Dixon
11. Harlan High School Band
12. Harlan County Relay for Life—Miss Relay and Attendants
13. Little Miss Kentucky, Rylie Maggard
14. Miss Harlan County Beauty Queen, Haylee Couch
15. Harlan County Library Bookmobile
16. J&R Printing, Miss Charlotte Nolan, 2003 parade grand marshal
17. Harlan County High School Band
18. Black Mountain Baptist Church
19. New Freedom Worship Center
20. Harlan Elementary Girl Scout Troop 1224
21. Black Mountain Tigerettes (7-8) girls basketball team
22. Rax Restaurant
23. Bledsoe Fire Department
24. Loyall Church of God
25. Harlan County Humane Society
26. Harlan ARH
27. Martins Fork Fire and Rescue Department
28. Martins Fork Fire and Rescue Department
29. Martins Fork Fire and Rescue Department
30. Heather Adams’ Academy of Dance
31. Donell’s Pharmacy
32. Harlan Elementary Daisy Scout Troop 1231
33. Kentucky State Police
34. Suzy’s Flowers and Gift Shop
35. Harlan Nursing Home
36. Lower Clover Fork Fire Department
37. Wallins Girl Scout Troop 1206
38. Boy Scout Troop 323
39. Harlan Middle School girls basketball champs
40. SKCTC Machine Tool Program
41. R. Pennington Trucking (Red Honda)
42. R. Pennington Trucking (Rhino)
43. Goshen Auto Sales
44. Goshen Auto Sales
45. Pennington’s Wrecker Service
46. Pennington’s Wrecker Service
47. Cole’s Body Shop
48. Cub Scout Pack 149
49. Harlan High School French Club
50. SKCTC (Harlan campus) animated train
51. Pine Flat Baptist Church Youth Group
52. Redneck Mudders
53. Redneck Mudders
54. Redneck Mudders
55. Redneck Mudders
56. Redneck Mudders
57. Joe Gibbs
58. Verda Baptist Church
59. Coxton Faith Tabernacle
60. Harlan County Anger Management Group
61. Hilltop Outreach Ministries
62. Hilltop Outreach Ministries
63. Hilltop Outreach Ministries
64. Hilltop Outreach Ministries
65. Hilltop Outreach Ministries
66. Hilltop Outreach Ministries
67. Liggett Baptist Church
68. Sunshine Vol. Fire Department
69. Sunshine Vol. Fire Department
70. Sunshine Vol. Fire Department
71. Sunshine Vol. Fire Department
72. Sunshine Vol. Fire Department
73. Britt Blanton
74. Shriners
75. Shriners
76. Shriners
77. Shriners
78. Shriners
79. Shriners
80. Shriners
81. Shriners
82. H&N Towing
83. Theroy Simpson
84. Bobby North
85. Harlan County Rescue Squad
86. Harlan County Rescue Squad
87. Harlan County Rescue Squad
88. Harlan County Rescue Squad
89. Harlan County Ridge Runners (float)
90. Ridge Runners
91. Ridge Runners
92. Ridge Runners
93. Ridge Runners
94. Ridge Runners
95. Ridge Runners
96. Ridge Runners
97. Ridge Runners
98. Ridge Runners
99. Ridge Runners
100. Ridge Runners
101. Harlan County Saddle Club (float)
102. Harlan County Saddle Club
103. Harlan County Saddle Club
104. Harlan County Saddle Club
105. Harlan County Saddle Club
106. Harlan County Saddle Club
107. Harlan County 4-H Horse Club
108. Harlan County 4-H Horse Club
109. Harlan County 4-H Horse Club
110. Harlan County 4-H Horse Club
111. Harlan County 4-H Horse Club
112. Mrs. Claus
113. Santa Claus on Harlan City Fire Truck
Post a Comment
