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Benton parade draws crowds to downtown |
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Wednesday, 02 December 2009 |
 Youngsters from ATA Karate for Kids get into the holiday spirit as they ride in the Christmas parade Tuesday night. Thousands of people lined the streets to watch the traditional holiday event.
The weather was crisp, but the rain held off to allow clear skies to prevail for the holiday event.
Downtown Benton Association sponsors the project that included more than 100 entries. Lisa Baldwin coordinated the event.
Amanda Sanders, a 17-year-old senior at Bryant High School, served as grand marshal of the parade that was based on the theme “A Victorian Christmas.”
Several floats were included along with marching units, decorated cars and trucks carrying beauty queens and politicians, fire trucks and police units, horses big and small, and even a go-cart enhanced with holiday decorations.
The concluding entries were Benton Fire Department units, including the 1930s fire truck Molly, in which Fire Chief Ben Blankenship and Santa Claus were riding.
Float winners were named after being judged by an out-of-town panel.
Those winners were Gateway Church, which placed first; Cross Bar C Cowboy Church, which finished second; and Saline Missionary Baptist Church, which came in third.
The first-place finisher received a $100 cash prize and a trophy, and trophies were presented to the two runners-up.
Baldwin said the parade “went well.”
“The lineup was smooth and everyone cooperated,” she said. “We couldn’t be more pleased.”
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