Parade on Saturday kicks off Peanut Festival

The annual Peanut Fest parade is as old as the festival itself.

And although it no longer features live elephants and mounds of peanuts on Main Street, the parade still is just as exciting with units like the Shriners and their tiny cars, Ronald McDonald, horses, fancy cars and, of course, six different high school marching bands.

“It’s the beginning of Peanut Fest, and without the parade we really can’t have a Peanut Fest,” said assistant director Angie Twiford. “I think it’s as big or better than the Christmas parade.”

About 80 units are lined up. The parade steps off at 10 a.m. Saturday from the corner of Broad and West Washington streets. It will turn north at Main Street and disband at Finney Avenue.

“It’s going to be beautiful,” Twiford said. “It’s really pretty awesome.”

Marching bands from Windsor and Wilson high schools will join Suffolk’s three public schools and Nansemond-Suffolk Academy in providing the music for the parade.

“It’s not going to rain,” Twiford said. “It’s going to be beautiful.”

The parade is sponsored by McDonald’s and SunTrust Bank. For more information on the parade or the festival, visit www.suffolkfest.org.