The Elberta High School Homecoming Parade, 2019.

ELBERTA - In preparation for upcoming events, Elberta councilmember Vicky Norris has released the 2021-2022 parade schedule. Norris took over as parade planner after taking office in 2016, and has since added more events to the town’s holiday schedule.

The first parade of the season is the fast-approaching Elberta High School Homecoming Parade, taking place on Tuesday, Oct. 5. Line up begins at 5:30 p.m. and the parade rolls at 6. The Warriors will play their homecoming game on Thursday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. against the LA Flore Rattlers. Tickets can be purchased on GoFan.com. Tickets will not be sold at the gate and need to be purchased in advance.

The Elberta High School Homecoming Court, announced earlier this month, consists of freshmen Abigail Palm, Risa Redditt, Isabella Welden and Rylie-Ann Pugh, sophomores Diamond Murphy, Matalyne Kroll and Morgan Kroll, juniors Morgan Fowler, Lexi Hanrahan and Blakeli Hood, and seniors Nate Steiner, Brady Motes, Nathen Clark, Peter Guantt, Riley McFarlin, Saige Heaton, Camryn Martin, McKenzie English, Kayden Lightkep and Demmie Peck.

The next parade will be the Veterans Day Parade, taking place on Saturday, Nov. 13. Line up begins at 10:30 a.m. and the parade rolls at 11. The Christmas Parade, Tree Lighting, Santa and Movies in the Park will be held on Saturday, Dec. 11. Parade line up begins at 4:30 - 5 p.m. and the parade rolls at 5:30. Tree lighting, Santa, and Movies in the Park will take place at the Elberta Town Park following the parade.

Also during the Christmas holidays, Donation For Decoration will return, where individuals, families, and businesses can place a donation to decorate a tree located in town center. Donation For Decoration will begin on Saturday, Nov. 25 and trees can remain decorated until Saturday, Jan. 8. Donation checks can be made out to the Elberta Beautification Committee. Trees are by first come, first served basis. Once a donation has been dropped off, participants can choose the tree they’d like to “rent” for the holidays and begin decorating.

Finally, the town’s Mardi Gras Parade will roll on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022 with line up at 1 p.m. and roll at 2. Anyone interested in participating in any town parade must fill out a form. Forms must be turned in to Norris no later than the time of line up the day of the scheduled event. Forms can be picked up and turned in at Town Hall, or emailed to interested participants. Call Norris at 251-232-5393 for questions and further information.

For line up, parade participants are asked to come down County Road 83 to Kichler Circle (located behind John T. Cobb Stadium) and turn south on Illinois Street. Parades run south on Illinois Street to Highway 98, east on Highway 98 to the town center, north on Highway 83 to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, turn west on Oak Street to Chicago Street, then head north back to the Elberta middle and high schools. The only exception is the Mardi Gras Parade, which runs back to where the parade begins on Illinois Street.

Call Norris at 251-232-5393 for more information.