Gallery – Smithfield Christmas Parade shortened but still festive
Published 7:36 pm Monday, December 16, 2024
- Smithfield's annual Christmas parade returned on Dec. 14, bringing bands, dancers and floats to Main and Grace streets. Here, Kaitlin Messinea leaps into the air during Footnotes School of Dance’s country-themed routine. (Photos by Stephen Faleski | The Smithfield Times)
Smithfield’s annual Christmas parade was shorter but no less festive on account of the ongoing rehabilitation of the Cypress Creek Bridge.
Spectators lined Main, Mason and Grace streets to watch the procession on Dec. 14, which this year was capped at 50 entries. For 90 minutes following the 11:30 a.m. conclusion of the parade, the flow of traffic on the bridge, which has been restricted to a single lane since January, reversed to allow participants and spectators to exit downtown.
A judging panel consisting of Smithfield Vice Mayor Valerie Butler and Old Dominion University professor Andrew Gordus named Smithfield High School as this year’s best band, the Western Tidewater Jeepers as the best car club, Isle of Wight County Solid Waste as this year’s best vehicle, Smithfield Scout Troop 3 and Sea Scout Crew 37 as the best marching unit, Smithfield Foods as the best float and Southside Ballet as the best dance routine.
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- Rick and Cheryl Rowlands, who earlier this year were named co-Citizens of the Year by the Smithfield Rotary and Ruritan clubs, wave from a Volkswagen.
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- The Smithfield Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8545 march in front of Smithfield High School’s Junior ROTC students.
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- Teen Miss Isle of Wight County Fair 2024 Lana Janas, at left, and Miss Isle of Wight County Fair Blair Dickens, ride in a hay bale-filled float.
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- Basil Woodworth, dressed as Buddy the Elf, waves to spectators.
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- Smithfield Police Chief Alonzo Howell gives a thumbs up to spectators from a patrol car.
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- Hamtown Jeeps, a local car club, drives in the parade down Grace Street.
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- Tarsha Davis and Yazmine Blount watch the parade from the sidewalk outside Hamtown Mercantile.
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- The Smithfield Recreation Association’s ages 12-and-under baseball team shows their trophy from this year’s 12U district championship.
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- Director of Southside Ballet Studio Meredith Parks, at left, and Southside Ballet dance teacher Riley Gallahorn, point toward the sky during Southside’s routine at the Smithfield Christmas Parade.
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- Smithfield Foods employees and their families ride in and walk alongside a float.
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- The Windsor High School band performs.
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- SHS band members Landon Brooks with his alto sax, Julian Seamster with his baritone sax, and Joshua Gardner with his trumpet march down Grace Street.
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- From left, Dynamic Movement dancers Myka Johnson, Teegan Fesette, Jada Eckerle and Giuliana Goins perform.
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- Marilyn Hill leads the Grand Squares of Smithfield, a local square-dancing group, in the parade.
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- Carrollton Elementary chorus students perform with the school’s cardinal mascot.
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- Motorcycle units from Smithfield Police and other area departments lead off the parade.
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- Smithfield Scout Troop 3 and Sea Scouts Crew 37 members wave to spectators on Grace Street. From left are Abby Giltner, Kate Bebermeyer, Rob Bebermeyer and Summer Butler.
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- Jim and Robin Rush watch the parade from Main Street.
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- Paul D. Camp Community College’s Hurricanes baseball team waves to spectators.
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- Junior Miss Isle of Wight County Fair Adriauna Pena waves from inside a barn on the fair queens’ float.
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- Brianna McCall-Rebhun, Madelyn Young and McKenzie Obenchain of the Smithfield High School Christian Club wave from a float.
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- Carrollton’s Cub Scout Pack 36 members ride in on a float.
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- Woman’s Club of Smithfield members wave to spectators.
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- Smithfield Recreation Association softball players ride in the back of a float.
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- C.W. Gilliam Inc. Contracting drives down Grace Street in the parade.
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- Firefighters with the Carrollton Volunteer Fire Department wave from atop a decorated ladder truck.
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- Smithfield High School Junior ROTC students march down Grace Street.
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- From left, Southside Ballet dancers Tenley Castner, Isabella Muralles, Eve Bessanson Caleigh Williford leap into the air during the studio’s routine at the Christmas parade.
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- Darden’s Country Store, this year’s grand marshal, leads the parade in a tractor-pulled float.
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- Smithfield Little Theatre volunteers wave in costume.
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- A dump truck from the Isle of Wight County Solid Waste Division has been turned into a holiday float.
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- SHS band members Rafeal Delk, playing cymbals, Tristan Walker, playing drums, and Caiden Turner on the bass drum march down Grace Street.
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- Santa Claus, who bears a striking resemblance to Frank Brown, waves from the back of a Smithfield Volunteer Fire Department ladder truck.
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- Santa Claus arrives via a Smithfield Volunteer Fire Department ladder truck.
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- Lily and Ava Baer dressed alike to watch the parade.
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- Ron Pack, founder of Smithfield Station, drives his woody car down Grace Street.
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- Isle of Wight County’s 4-H members ride in a farming-themed float.
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- Bubba N’ Franks Smokehouse employees and their children wave from a float.
