With 29 floats, this year’s Brookhaven Christmas Parade was a sight to be seen.

     “We had probably the best floats we’ve ever had,” said Brookhaven/Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce Program Director Kay Burton.

     The weather was warmer than in years past and the candy was flowing. Not only the candy, but also the trains.

     “I believe this is the most trains I have ever seen come through during the parade,” said Burton, referencing several trains that passed through downtown as the parade was getting started.

     However, the children seemed to enjoy the locomotives and Brookhaven/Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President Cliff Brumfield made sure that the trains slowed down considerably when coming through downtown.

     The large amount of floats may have been due to the numerous new entries this year. Two new entries were float design winners: Hurst Review Services and Brookhaven Public Schools.

     Hurst Review Services displayed a “Blue Christmas,” with several dancing Elvises.

     “That was just so much fun,” said Burton. “Those are people that we know and work with and they took on a whole different persona in the parade last night. They certainly deserved to win the overall award.”

     Another new entry this year was the Patriot Guard Riders of Mississippi. The Patriot Guard escorts military funerals in our state. Patriotic themes could be seen throughout the night’s lineup.

     “A lot of the floats showed a lot of patriotism,” said Burton.

     Float design winners were: overall winner, Hurst Review Services; religious category winner, Easthaven Baptist Church; best depiction of theme winner, Pike National Bank; most inspiration theme winner, New Sight Baptist Church; school category winner, Brookhaven Public Schools; business category winner, McLane Southern; and best children’s theme winner, Kids R Us Learning Center.

     Grand Marshal Cindy-Hyde Smith, Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture, rode a float appropriately pulled by a tractor. Santa Claus rode atop a Brookhaven Fire Department fire truck, much to the children’s delight.

     “Everything went very smoothly,” said Burton.