By Matt Silverman | Staff Intern
On Friday, Dec. 2, Al Berry will lead floats, marching bands and decorated cars through the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World as part of the annual Plant City Christmas Parade.
Berry, a Plant City native, is this year’s Christmas Parade grand marshal. In addition to a broadcasting career that spanned three decades, he is a sales representative for In the Field Magazine and the Plant City Times & Observer. He is a Florida Strawberry Festival board member emeritus and serves in various clubs throughout Plant City.
The annual parade, a tradition of over 30 years, will kick off at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2. The parade will begin at the intersection of Alsobrook and Collins streets. It will follow Collins Street north and then turn right on Reynolds Street, where it will end past the Plant City Courthouse.
“We have several floats in the parade,” Christmas Parade Committee President Sharon Moody said. “We’ve got high schools that will be there, businesses and churches. We’ve got more floats this time than we have walkers and cars.”
Along with floats, marching bands from local schools, such as Plant City, Durant and Strawberry Crest High schools and Turkey Creek, Marshall and Tomlin Middle schools, will march in the parade. Joining them will be a few visiting bands, such as the Winter Haven High School marching band.
For many younger students, this parade will be their first time participating in such an event.
“A teacher called me from Wilson (Elementary) and they are so excited because this is their first time participating in the parade,” Moody said. “They’re going to have their chorus playing the drums and singing on their float.”
Prizes will be awarded for the categories of best marching unit, best church float and best school float. This year, an award also will be given out for the best business float. Winners will receive $100 each.
The committee has partnered with several sponsors to raise money and organize the event.
“We purchase the floats for the schools so they can participate,” Henry Falcon, board member, said. “The only way we can do that is by all our donations and sponsors.”
Community members and volunteers from the Noon Day Rotary Club of Plant City and the Lions Club of Plant City will serve as parade marshals and direct the flow of traffic.
In the past, when over 100 floats participated, traffic and train stops delayed the flow of the parade causing it to last until 10 p.m.
This year the committee hopes to fix the problem by accepting no more than 80 entries and allowing only one unit per float application. The parade is expected to end around 9 p.m.