Easter Parade returning to downtown Parkersburg March 20
A re-enactment of Christ on the Via Dolorosa to the crucifixion at the 2018 Easter Parade in Parkersburg. (File Photo)
An Elks Lodge float participates in the 2019 Easter Parade in Parkersburg. The parade, canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic, will be held 2 p.m. March 20. (File Photo)
The Penguin gives candy to kids at an Easter Parade from 2019. Canceled last year because of the pandemic, the parade will be held 2 p.m. March 20 on Market Street in Parkersburg. (File Photo)
A re-enactment of Christ on the Via Dolorosa to the crucifixion at the 2018 Easter Parade in Parkersburg. (File Photo)
An Elks Lodge float participates in the 2019 Easter Parade in Parkersburg. The parade, canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic, will be held 2 p.m. March 20. (File Photo)
The Penguin gives candy to kids at an Easter Parade from 2019. Canceled last year because of the pandemic, the parade will be held 2 p.m. March 20 on Market Street in Parkersburg. (File Photo)
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PARKERSBURG -- The 11th annual Easter Parade will be held 2-4 p.m. March 20 on Market Street in a reverse format with local first responders as the parade marshals.
"We are honored to announce that this year's parade marshals are the first responders of Parkersburg, Vienna and Belpre, Ohio. The policemen, firemen, 911, sheriff's department, health care workers and the MOV health department," organizer Kiki Angelos said. "All these people and departments I considered to be heroes because they lay their lives on the line to help and assist others. We are therefore privileged to show our gratitude to all of them for what they do and have done for our community."
Sponsors of the parade, which will be held rain or shine, are WVU-Medicine, Hobby Lobby, Elks Lodge 198, Vinyl Werx Graphics, Superior Logistics Ohio, West Virginia University at Parkersburg, The Parkersburg News and Sentinel, Bodyworkz by D&S and WTAP-TV.
The organizations make it possible to achieve a successful and memorial event, Angelos said.
"A big 'thank you' goes out to all the Market Street businesses and other community organizations and people for their support and involvement," she said.
This year's parade will be a reversed/drive-by with participants staged on both sides of Market Street starting at 13th and Market and ending at the court house. The audience will drive by to view the exhibits and floats.
"The atmosphere will be awesome, the parade being the same day of spring and knowing that warm weather will soon be here to stay," Angelos said.
The parade, like most other events, was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic restrictions. Angelos said she received notification from Mayor Tom Joyce that it's OK for this year.
"So I have started working and planning full speed with my very dedicated and wonderful parade committee so we can have another great successful parade," Angelos said.
Rules and regulations for the pandemic will be followed, she said.
"It will be refreshing once again to get out and see the little children happy faces seeing the Easter Bunny," Angelos said.
The Easter Bunny and his helpers will distribute more than 4,000 filled Easter eggs to children, donated by Elks Lodge 198 in Parkersburg. Another special feature will be four new girls and boys bicycles donated by the Elks Lodge and BODYWORKZ by D&S.
The theme of the parade will be "Celebrating Easter in a Safe Way." Participation in the parade is free, but participants are asked to bring non perishable food items to be given to the food pantries in the area.
A parade application and other information including safety guidelines is available at www.movEasterParade.com, at Facebook.com/MOVEasterParade or by calling 304-863-6516 or 304 615-5454.
On the day of the parade, a registration table will be at 19th and Market streets to drop off non perishable items. The parade will start at 13th and Market streets and end on Third street.
Parade line-up will begin at noon.
"We all would like to invite everyone to join in to make this years parade better than ever, so decorate your float or truck, bring your groups, pageant girls, churches, schools, fire trucks, company trucks, politicians, antique cars and come enjoy the day with us," Angelos said.
Parade units will be judged with first, second and third place awards presented in the non-commercial and commercial categories. Winners will be announced after the parade.