It’s that time again, where you dust off that flatbed trailer, dress up your four-wheeler, put a deer head on your hood and try to outdo the others at having the tackiest redneck entry for this Saturday’s 5th annual Bawcomville Redneck Christmas parade.
Organizer Catfish Jack Clampit of S&J Farm and Feed said,” The first year, we put this parade together with a short time frame as a way to fund-raise to buy presents for the children of Bawcomville. Santa and I share personalities and bodies every year as “Santa’ listens to the children coming into the store. I kept hearing that these kids would tell Santa that they asked for presents last year and Santa never made it to their house. These stories tore at my heart and I started making my own list and finding out the family names so I could go out as Santa and bring these children - Christmas. It makes Christmas so much more special knowing that these kids will have presents under the tree. Not only are the children overjoyed but also the parents, you can see such relief and tears in their eyes ,that all the work putting a parade together is worth it . Our employees and families buy toys and gifts with the $10.00 fee and the unwrapped toys get wrapped and all are delivered for Christmas. The store also serves as a drop off point for toys for the kids.”
Each year the parade gets larger and better and the route has also expanded since the amount of entries was over 500 strong last year. The $10.00 fee is inexpensive so everyone can participate and have a good time. Family's build their own floats , or sit in pick- up trucks and have a taste of being in a parade. Local Business try to outdo each other with outlandish displays on their floats.
Clampit said,” We have had outhouses and cars up on bricks, clothes lines and you name it, can and may have been used to make a float. We also had a lot of horses the last two years and multiple firetrucks. We even had a self proclaimed Queen the last few years and one float had an entire band with a piano on it playing. Of course the Bawcomville idol participants usually have a showing with their floats rigged so they can sing. The floats riders also come in character, and we have had some really fun ones. Ladies in curlers, deer hunters, kids in their pj’s it all goes. I am hoping to have more marching bands this year, I love to see the large groups coming out to have a good time.”
For more information call S&J Farm and Feed, 388-5858. or facebook S&J Farm and Feed
