-Welcome to Tennessee's largest and longest-running festival.

It's the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival, and we are so excited that this festival takes place right here in West Tennessee in Humboldt.

Channel 11 is going to be bringing you the entire parade in just a few minutes.

First, I wanted to thank all the people that have donated to Channel 11.

Those donations make programs like this possible.

Our team has been busy putting cameras up, scaffolding, to make sure you see every sight and sound of the parade.

Our hosts, right over here, Julie Cook and Betty Langley, are getting ready, and we are excited to be bringing this to you.

Channel 11 has been doing it for decades.

Again, we can only do it with the viewer's support.

We're a nonprofit, community-licensed TV station.

We're the only locally owned TV station all of West Tennessee.

If you support local and you want to see more local programs like this, make a donation today.

We need it now more than ever, westtnpbs.org.

On with the show.

[music] -Welcome to the 87th annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival from Humboldt, Tennessee.

-We're so excited to be here this morning.

-I'm Betty Langley.

-Betty Langley, and I'm Julie Cook.

Just welcome, everybody.

We've got a little bit of overcast, not enough to dampen anybody's spirits.

-I don't think so, Betty.

Do you?

-No.

It's going to be a beautiful day.

Being overcast will keep people from getting sunburned, and everybody can see and take great pictures.

-It's been a great week weather-wise.

-We're ready to start.

It's hard to hear with the- -Helicopter flying all over.

-helicopter flyover.

-The THP motorcycles, and all the sirens and lights are coming towards us.

This is the 87th annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival parade.

If you were not able to see it, just remind your friends and neighbors that they can watch the West Tennessee Festival parade on demand, just download that PBS app, and we can get that done for you.

Watch it on demand whenever you want.

[sirens blaring] -This is what everyone's been waiting for.

I don't know if I've seen the THP Volkswagen bug.

Is that a new thing?

-I don't know if THP wants you to say it's cute.

-It is.

-It's cute.

[laughs] -I don't know how many people you could chase down.

-Yes, I wasn't thinking that was -one of your speedier vehicles.

-[?]

-It is really.

[sirens blaring] -Tennessee State Trooper is coming by.

-In full force.

Humboldt Police Department, in full force.

[sirens blaring] -Little fellas there.

-That's Humboldt Police Chief Kenny Rich and his family.

[sirens blaring] -Humboldt Fire Department.

Couldn't do without our first responders.

-Humboldt Fire Chief Greg Lencioni and his family.

-Is that the firehouse pup there?

[laughs] The firehouse dachshund.

-Yes.

-Cute.

-That's a new twist on the firehouse pup.

-[laughs] You don't have to have black and white dots to be a firehouse dog.

-This is the Gibson County Sheriff's Department.

Tell you what?

All the West Tennessee law enforcement come together to help make this possible.

All the surrounding counties send their patrols, Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Humboldt Police Department, all the EMS fire departments, they all pull together, takes a lot of safety and to keep this all rolling.

-Gibson County Sheriff, Paul Thomas there.

Yes, this is really parade season with the past three weekends between the iris, and the fish fry, and the teapot, and the strawberry and so many of them.

-That's right, Daryl mentioned that this is the last one for a little while.

-Chief Deputy Danny Lewis.

-This is one of the things they really work hard to keep from having, gaps in the parade, -but it's just impossible.

-It just happens- -sometimes.

-It's just impossible to keep one right after the other.

-You can watch some of the older West Tennessee Strawberry Festival parades, maybe the World's Biggest Fish Fry or the Iris Festival.

Just go to the West Tennessee Retro 11 on PBS that's streaming now at westtnpbs.org or on that free PBS app.

-Here is the color guard leading the parade.

-They're from the Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads.

-Not a job that everybody can do.

-We are so grateful for-- Humboldt Rescue Squad is phenomenal.

They are a great group of people, hardworking, save lots of lives.

They're followed by the Tennessee State Veterans Home here in Humboldt.

-It's always so wonderful to see them out because many of them are not able to ride and not able to enjoy the crowds.

-They have a great time when they get out and ride in this parade.

-If you know someone who wasn't able to come, be sure and try to get that broadcast to them on the PBS app and look and see.

Very proudly riding Tennessee State Veterans' Home today.

-They're followed by the West Tennessee Veterans' Parade Group.

-Mark your calendar.

-November the 8th, downtown Jackson will be the West Tennessee Veterans Parade.

-That's always a wonderful day.

West Tennessee Veterans Coalition does so many.

There's Jackie Utley and a driver, westtnvets.org if you want to find out more information about that.

That's a day to remember, and you can join us in downtown Jackson for that on November the 8th.

Thank you to many of our sponsors today.

BR Supply along with Parham Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric, Tyson Foods, Centennial Bank, Hitachi, Jones Family of Companies, Jackson State, Bongards, Humboldt Utilities, MacLean, Magnolia Manor, Reinhausen, Spectrum.

Those are just a few.

Let's see, West Tennessee Strawberry Festival.

-This is the Welcome Banner.

This is Sawyer Kate Morris and Emerson Gamble are the two girls carrying the banner.

-That's our first queen, I think.

You never know what the weather's going to be.

We were talking about that earlier.

Sometimes you have to have a blanket, and sometimes you have to have an umbrella for the rain, and sometimes you have to have an umbrella to keep from getting so hot.

-These first two young ladies- -Perfect day today.

-are the parade marshals.

Mitzi Privitt, the president, selected these two young ladies as the parade marshals.

Grand Marshal.

-A Miss America volunteer, -Berkley Bryant.

-Yes, she's a Miss America Volunteer.

-Berkley Bryant.

That pageant will be coming up next month in June.

Miss America Volunteer right at Carl Perkins Civic Center in Jackson.

-Also, Ms. Hannah McKay.

-Is the Miss America Volunteer.

Beautiful ladies.

-Actually, with it being overcast, people will get really good pictures today -because- -Oh, yes.

-people won't be squinting, -people can smile.

-No shadows.

-There's no shadows.

People can smile and enjoy being in the picture.

When it's really, really sunny, the pictures are just not as good, but today, there'd be great pictures.

-They really will.

I want to mention a few more folks .. BlueOval City, BlueOval SK, Coca-Cola, Domino's, FOX 16, King Tire, Lashlee Rich, McDonald's, Republic, Smurfit-Westrock, and the Tennessee State Veterans Home.

Can you see that, Betty?

Tennessee Commission.

-It's Tennessee Corrugated.

-Thank you.

-All right.

This is the Humboldt High School.

They are the welcome band.

-Welcoming all of West Tennessee to the 87th annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival parade.

[marching band plays music] [crowd cheers and applauds] -Humboldt High School.

-That was the Humboldt High School marching band.

[drums playing] -How many bands typically participate -Not many.

-in a festival?

-Do you have a rough idea?

-A dozen or more probably.

-That's what I was thinking.

-Sometimes the weather controls that.

If it looks like it's going to rain, they'll just opt out.

-Some of them, yes.

-All right, look who's coming.

It's the berry.

This is the mascot for the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival.

-For some reason, when I see that guy, I think about that ZZ Top Sharp Dressed Man song.

I don't know, maybe it's the sunglasses.

Oh, what a great float.

-The Berry will be revealed at the Territorial Queens Pageant on Saturday night.

People will find out who's been in that berry all week long.

-That's got to be a fun thing to do though.

-[crosstalk] person is all week.

I didn't know that.

-Same person.

See, I was president in 2021, and we purchased a new berry costume.

After many, many years of being out in the sun, and it begins to look a little ragged and faded.

-He is looking mighty sharp.

-That float represents BR Supply, who is our title sponsor.

-Another BR Supply truck.

They've got some goodies it looks like.

-They're giving out little swag bags.

-Swag bags.

-Says, "Meet me on Main Street."

-Cute totes.

Humboldt Hall of Fame.

-This is Ralph Jones III.

We had four Humboldt residents inducted into the Hall of Fame yesterday afternoon.

Ralph Jones III.

Mr. Jim Blankenship was inducted.

That's Mr. Jim.

-That's a very nice ceremony, I went several years ago.

It's a great honor.

-Mr. Jim looking awful dapper there.

Then he's followed by Mr. Stan Little, who was also inducted yesterday.

-That's his son Stan Jr. in the backseat.

-There on the other side.

-Yes, I can't see who else is in there.

All right, look who's coming.

Humboldt City Mayor Marvin Sikes.

-You think he could have found a pinker jacket?

-[laughs] -He looks like a big berry.

-Yes.

-Mayor Sikes.

His sweet wife Carol in the front seat.

-I think there is a few people.

There's some way to estimate, I guess, during the week -how many people travel to Humboldt.

-They do a geo-tracking where they target area and can determine how many is in that area and based on how many of those circles would be down main street they can come up with a guesstimate.

-There's no way to know.

It's a guess.

-It's in all parts of town, too, and then you have people who come who come back for parade day who have been before, -and then people who- -That's right.

-come here for the first time and stay the day.

-This banner announces Mitzi Privitt who is the president of the 87th festival.

Her theme was it's a very good life.

-It's a very good life.

-[crosstalk] unites the celebration ignites.

That's neat.

-All right, our first float.

It's a doozy.

-Oh, wow.

This would be the grand berry express train.

-Let's see if it is.

-It looks like one of the Cars characters.

There's Mitzi.

I wonder who that little fella could be.

-Mitzi and her husband, JP, -and their grandchildren.

-Little grandbaby.

-Of course, Mitzi's been a float builder for years and years and years.

-Oh, this is still part of it's a very good life.

Right.

That is some float.

-It's a it's a very good life.

That's Tow Mater from Cars.

-Oh, that's Allie, isn't it?

-That's Allie.

That's Mitzi's daughter.

There's grandchildren galore on there.

-I bet she's in heaven.

Both of them are.

-That's beautiful.

-Yes, that is pretty.

On the back of it says, "When our community unites, the celebration ignites."

It's Danny Wade and Teresa.

-Co-chair, vice president.

-He is general chairman.

-General chairman.

-Mitzi selected Danny.

Then Mitzi will roll off after this parade.

After this week's round up, Danny will step up, become the president of the 88th, and he will select the general chairman to follow him.

The general chairman is like vice president where you learn -everything that goes on-- -For the year.

-Yes.

You have all the training and be the sidekick to the president and do whatever you're told.

Then the next year, you step up as president, and you select the general chairman behind you.

-Oh, Ms. Amanda.

The Humboldt Chamber of Commerce.

Beth Culpepper, Savannah Draper, and Amanda Love, the executive director.

-There's some hard-working girls.

-Absolutely.

Absolutely.

I get every bit of their press releases, and announcements, -and event schedule, and everything.

-Absolutely -I know they're busy.

Tell you what they work.

-As soon as this week is over, they do a wrap-up, get everything back into storage, close up everything, pay the bills, and then Danny will start working on the 88th festival.

-Clayburn Peeples 28th Judicial Circuit Court.

-His family, his beautiful wife.

-Coming up next is Michael Mansfield, chancellor.

Following, a very large white truck.

-Just a reminder, you can catch the Strawberry Festival Parade on demand anytime you want.

Just download the PBS app on your smart TV, on your phone, or your tablet.

All of the Channel 11 local programs can be found there.

You can watch them whenever you want to.

All of the Spring Parades will be there, teapot, fish fry, -Iris Festival- -Iris, -all of them will be on that app.

-strawberry.

It's been a busy couple of weeks.

Not necessarily for us, our production crew.

Michael's walking with Bradley Owens.

Bradley is the Gibson County General Sessions judge.

-When do the judges typically have the results for the parade?

-Is it sometime today?

-Pretty quick.

-Oh, yes.

-This afternoon.

That's what I was thinking.

-The Junior Floats Parade winners were posted.

Parade was over about 11:45, ran about an hour and 45 to 2 hours.

-By two o'clock they were posted.

-That's on the Facebook page.

-Yes, they post them on the Facebook page.

This is Frederick Agee, who is district attorney here in Gibson County, and his family.

Right behind him is Nelson Cunningham and his wife, Amy.

-Gibson County mayor.

-I don't know if they can get all their bunch rounded up or not.

They've got a big college.

-They're all over everywhere.

-Although it's crazy, colleges, they get out now.

My granddaughter's home from college.

-Either moving or trying to move or maybe going to summer school, trying to hurry up and get done.

-Oh, here come the Corvette.

See.

-Gibson County clerk, Joyce Brown.

They have a vehicle, so they can have their banner on the vehicle.

Some of them are walking behind the vehicle.

-A lot of walkers today.

-Joyce has been Gibson County Clerk for several years.

Does a great job.

-I know the people watching this on television can't see all the way down the street, but we have several cars and trucks that are coming before we actually get into floats and bands.

-We're still at the intro part -of the parade.

-Absolutely.

We get lots of officials.

A lot of these people will attend the governor's luncheon.

We'll have senators, representatives, -It's always a big [crosstalk] -commissioners.

-We have a wide array of elected officials.

This is Alicia Owens.

She's the property assessor for Gibson County.

She's smart.

She has on comfortable shoes.

-I noticed that.

That's the way to go.

-It's a pretty- -It's a long route.

How far is the route, would you say?

How long is that parade route?

Does it depend on how many are there?

-Just the route?

-Yes.

-It's almost a mile.

-It sounds about right.

Motor parts and berries.

That is-- -The county clerk, Melissa.

She's in the courthouse.

-Representative for District 79, Dr. Brock Martin.

-Yes, Brock Martin, representative of District 79.

This is Barbara Davidson.

She's the Gibson County Register of Deeds.

-I can tell you the guys with all of the cameras are doing all the work.

-Yes, I feel bad.

-We're just sitting here.

-We don't have a real hard job.

-Watching the parade.

The guys with the cameras up on the scaffolding and down on the street, they're doing all the work.

-Daryl Connor and Charles [?]

in charge of all of that -production bunch.

-Absolutely.

-Doing a wonderful job.

-Doing such a great job.

[laughs] You're welcome, Daryl.

Office of the Attorney General, Jonathan Skrmetti.

Did I say that right?

Yes.

-Having all these officials, just the cars and the elected officials, that's part of the parade.

I know the people on the street are like, "Where are the floats?

Where are the bands?

-Where's my granddaughter?"

-[laughs] "Where's my granddaughter?"

-A lot of these people in these vehicles in the front -help make this happen.

-Absolutely.

-We have to give them their time.

-Absolutely.

-US Senator Marsha Blackburn.

-This is Marsha Blackburn.

She's speaking at the governor's luncheon today.

Governor Lee was unable to attend, so Marsha will be speaking.

-That's Representative Kustoff.

David Kustoff.

-I do see the big Hummer down the way.

That's the beginning of the parade.

-The beginning of the floats.

-The floats.

-I'm guessing.

I see a float coming over the hill, so that's good.

-I see Ed Jackson on the far side.

-Ed III.

Yes.

Who works in-- Is he in Kustoff's office?

I want to say he is.

-Yes.

-He's in one of them, yes.

Stopping to take pictures.

Everybody wants a picture.

Senator John Stevens.

Like I said, all of these dignitaries, all of these elected officials, will all be at the governor's luncheon today.

Usually the governor's luncheon is 300-plus people.

-I know it's usually elbow to elbow, but it will be packed tight.

Representative Chris Hurt.

Representative Johnny Shaw.

-He always walks.

He's so fit.

He always walks.

He's state representative from the 80th District.

-The state representative, Chris Todd coming up behind Representative Shaw.

-This is the TCAT Jackson President JacQuene Rainey.

-It's a wonderful program -for so many in Tennessee, -Oh, absolutely.

and that's a great priority with the TCAT schools.

Bethel University President Perry Moulds.

-I wish kids would realize that going through TCAT, getting those specialized skills that we're so in need of, -you can't find people to fix -That's true.

-and make.

-I don't think that's been true -for some time.

-I was a teacher for 33 years, and they make way more money than I'd ever make.

-Assistant Commissioner of the State Department of Mental Health Sejal West.

Of course, our health commissioner is from right here in West Tennessee.

It's Davis.

Freed-Hardeman main University chancellor, Dr. Milton Sewell.

-Dr. Yancy Freeman, UT Martin Chancellor.

Representative Weiss, he spoke at our African American Chamber of Commerce Jewel Awards Banquet, he and his wife.

-He's [crosstalk] -Really delightful.

Miss Teen Volunteer America, Izzy Karns.

[car sirens blare] -Kristin Henning, Jackson lady, Miss Tennessee Teen Volunteer, beautiful lady.

Miss Mississippi Volunteer right behind.

-She's Lauryl Madison Joyner.

-Joyner.

-All right, Senator Ed Jackson.

[car sirens blare] -Senator Jackson is passing right by us.

A very large military Humvee vehicle.

-I can remember being a little kid and seeing a lot of these big vehicles.

Even as a grownup, they seem so gigantic, but you can imagine, for a little one, it's so overwhelming, always fun to see.

-For years and years, they were all military green, and of course, the ones that are this khaki color, that's emblematic of them being in Desert Storm and other Afghanistan, where everything is that color.

It's that sandy color.

-Jackson State Community College, the Green Jays.

-The Green Jays, yes.

-One of our state colleges that also provides so many -opportunities.

-Absolutely.

-If you're just starting out or if you're in the workforce and want to go back, great opportunities.

-All right, we will begin with our festival floats.

The first one is the Territorial Royalty.

There are two local pageants, Junior Hostess and Hostess Princess.

Those are girls from this voting district.

Then the territorial pageants, all four of them, the girls have to have won a pageant within the boundaries of West Tennessee.

River to river, border to border, if you win a pageant there, then you can enter one of the territorial pageants depending upon the age group.

Little miss is ages six to nine.

-I see Ms. Janice Shelton.

-Yes, this is the territorial queen.

-Beautiful.

-There's four different territorial pageants, different age groups.

-Starting with the little bitty ones down there on front.

-Those are local boys and girls who are the train bearers and the flower girls.

The heralds right up on the top of the float.

Jolie Morgan is the territorial queen.

-Beautiful gowns.

Beautiful ladies.

-The heralds, the train bearers and the flower girls are all local children.

Usually some connection to someone who's been involved in the festival for years, maybe grandchildren or children of someone that works in the festival.

They get the honor of being a train bearers or a flower girl or a herald.

-I don't know if the viewers can see the bubbles, but somebody's got a bubble machine going.

-It's fun to watch.

-Yes, they're everywhere.

-Must be a big bubble machine.

These would be the-- not the Territorial.

-This is the hostess princess- -Hostess princess.

-which is a local girl from this- -Humboldt.

-voting district, Medina, Humboldt area.

-See, that's a little bit of a chilly wind -that's blowing on the-- -Ava Grace Thomas.

Yes.

They're trying to hang on to their capes.

I imagine her cape feels good.

-Yes, that big red cape sure feels good.

-I'll put in a plug that all of these trucks that pull these floats are provided by Gene Langley Ford.

-Beautiful floats.

-Always wonder how many big red trucks they have on hand this time of year that they can spare for the parade.

-Oh, look at these ladies.

-This is the little miss territorial royalty.

Sophie McEwen is the queen.

-All of the pageants that are being held, two yesterday, two today, and two tomorrow.

All of those winners will reign over the 88th parade and festival next year.

This is the junior hostess princess royalty.

Janie Lynn [?]

is the queen.

-She's the cutest little thing.

-All right.

This next float, another one of the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival floats.

This is the miss teen territorial winners.

McKayla Murphy is the queen.

She actually gave up her crown last night to the young lady who will reign over the 88th.

-They've had this pageant.

-This pageant, I emceed that.

-That's right, you had a long [crosstalk] -Last night late at night was miss teen, yesterday afternoon was the junior miss.

-You did both of those.

-Those two have given up their crown, and the winner will reign next year.

-This last one of the festival floats is the junior miss territorial.

That's the one that was held yesterday afternoon at 3:00.

Olivia Thomas is the queen, and she gave up her crown in the first pageant yesterday.

-All the ladies that win this week, -you'll get to see next year- -Yes, they reign next year.

-during the festival.

-Today there are two pageants, the junior hostess, which is the local girl, and the hostess princess will be this afternoon.

Tomorrow morning will be the little miss territorial.

Tomorrow night is the big territorial queen pageant.

Oh, man, -we can't do without these guy.. -Humboldt Utilities, they absolutely work so hard.

They put all the banners up, they put all the flags up, everything that needs to be done.

-Not many cherry pickers in town -to call in the utility company.

-By the end of May, they'll come back -and take everything down.

-Everything down.

-Of course, if there's ice -and bandages- -Plus, -and everything else go too.

-that's what I was getting ready to say- -if there's any issue with electrical water or sewer anywhere in town, even if the parade's going on, they have to go get it.

One year a water main burst on a side street.

The parade was going on, -and they were on the side of the street.

-Oh my God, during the p.. -Doing what?

Stopping the water.

-South Gibson County High School.

Marching Hornets.

-This is from Medina.

-They are a spectacular band.

-Of course, this is the year of the mass band, which is all of the county high school bands together.

All of these bands will be toward the front of the parade -because they go and run back- -Go back.

-and they back to Bailey Park and assemble as the mass band and come through at the end.

All of the county bands will be fairly close to the front of the parade.

[marching band plays music] [crowd cheers and applauds] [marching band plays music] -That was awesome.

-South Gibson County High School -South Gibson County High School.

-marching band.

-Now, how many times did you hear that song?

You're a teacher, School's Out for summer, the Alice Cooper-- [laughs] Kids blaring that over their-- I guess back then tape players and whatnot when that song was popular.

-Yes.

Graduations are -getting ready.

-Coming up.

-I know South Gibson, the seniors had their senior walk last day yesterday.

[marching band playing] -You got to give it to the bands, they practice summertime, heat, all of that, -getting ready for that- -This mass band-- -football season and get this out of my mouth.

-This mass band, they all practice at their own schools on the music and then they come together.

Last Friday, they met at the high school, all of the bands together marched out of Viking Drive.

Then they came up here, and they practiced, and they marched down Main Street.

-They actually [crosstalk] -Actually, get together and practice.

-Yes, because when you do a collaboration like that, you don't always get a lot of time -for rehearsal and preparation -No.

They get together one time and do a big mass practice.

-It was on Saturday, I guess.

-That's great.

-Meet at the high school, practice out in the parking lot some, get it assembled, have lunch, then they bust them up here, and they come down Main Street.

There were hundreds of people -watching them Saturday.

-It's a lot.

All right- -callparham.com -here we go.

This is Parham Heating, Cooling.

Chris Parham and employees of Parham Heating and Cooling.

-I think everything I've ever been to in Gibson County, they are really good neighbors.

-They're always involved.

-Yes, they are.

They are one of the platinum sponsors.

-Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

-Yes, this is the LifeFlight.

They have a base out here at the Humboldt Airport.

It's the helicopter LifeFlight.

I don't live far from there, and I always think about it in the middle of the night when I hear the helicopter take off that there's something's wrong, they're going to take somebody.

-Say hello to Zoe Belew, miss teen Tennessee shimmer princess.

-Oh my goodness.

This is the Blues Cruisers.

This is where they have converted their motorized wheelchairs from converted recliners, and they have a ball.

-Now, that's the way to go right there.

-Absolutely.

-Blues Cruisers.

-Blues Cruisers.

I love that flag.

It's strawberry time, y'all.

-If you notice, most of them are of retirement age, so they've been practicing, putting their feet up.

[laughter] -Well, it's a tough job, -but somebody's got to do it.

-I know.

They have so much fun.

-I bet.

-Look at them in those recliners.

-William has got the blue light going on, look at that.

I guess guess he's the security.

-This guy, he's taking selfies with the crowd.

-Oh my goodness.

-Cute.

-Got a few stragglers here.

-How fun.

-All right, this is the grand berry express.

There's a little history behind this.

For years, a group of grandparents would build floats for their chil.. Then they began building floats for their grandchildren.

This is third-generation grandchildren of the ones that originally started building, and every year it, is some phenomenal float.

-How beautiful.

-I think on the back of this float, it says -third generation.

-Third generation.

I don't know if those babies in the back know much about that.

-They're just waving and enjoying the day.

-I know.

-How beautiful.

-There's some of the moms and dads.

-Here's all the parents.

Parents and grandparents walking.

-Now, these are Humboldt?

-Yes.

-Got some little girls walking up here.

They've got them a long way.

I think I hear the music, -about to make a citizen's arrest.

-That's right.

He's coming.

He's back down the line a little bit.

-That must be where one of our crew got their ticket this morning, -got their traffic citation of some sort.

-That's right.

He was out giving tickets to people.

I think he gave Peter Noel one down at the corner.

-All right.

This is a car from the Gibson Electric Cooperative and Gibson Connect, which is the fiber optic program that's been put in by Gibson Electric.

-There he is.

-There he is.

Barney and the gang.

That's Owen Cobb.

-Oh my gosh.

It's Owen.

-Even with the redhead.

-That's a little bit grown up.

-Andy and Opie.

-Yes, Opie.

-How fun.

-Andy and Opie following along.

It's a 1961 Ford Fairlane, and it's the replica of the squad car from the second season of the Andy Griffith Show.

-So cute.

Got another queen.

Lily Moore is Carroll County fairest of the fair.

-Our notes say that Misty Moore is the driver of the Jeep.

Carroll County fairest of the fair.

All right.

This is Cashmaster truck.

Proud to be a part of the Strawberry Festival.

A very easy way to get the cash you need.

Cashmaster.

-She's pulling something out of the truck, but I didn't see the green.

I didn't see anything green.

I think it was yellow.

Passing out some tote bags.

-Goodness.

-This is the Ford folks moving forward together.

-BlueOval City, they've made a huge impact on West Tennessee, for sure.

-Absolutely.

-We were talking about- -BlueO.. -TCAT a little bit ago.

There was a TCAT on that campus.

Gibson County Republican Party.

Here we come.

All right.

Yes, there will be a TCAT there at Blue OvalCity to specially train those-- Oh, thank you, sir.

That's a red flag from the Gibson County Party there.

To train for those jobs at BlueOval City.

Have a great impact.

Steve's Custom Carts.

-Let's back up on our notes here.

-Yes, thank you, Bob Moore, for our flags.

He's a member of our PBS Board of Directors.

-Steve's Custom Carts out here on the corner of 152 and the bypass.

They have several carts that are throughout the parade.

-Yes, they do.

Oh, that's a nice one.

-There's actually a category for decorated golf carts this year.

-Is that new?

-Last year, it was a few.

-Oh, how cute.

Everybody needs one of those.

Club cart.

Peabody High School Band of Gold.

-All right.

Following, here they come, the Peabody High School Marching Band.

[music] [applause] -Wonderful job by the Peabody High School Marching Band, Band of Gold.

-You got a Little Bon Jovi going on there, Livin' on a Prayer.

[music] -Oh, royalty.

This is Miss Tristar.

-Tristar Volunteer and Miss West Tennessee Volunteer.

-Look at that, it's almost-- Okay, here's the truck representing Wendy's -and the Strawberry Frosty.

-Oh, yummy.

-They're giving out coupons on the street for a free Strawberry Frosty.

-Robinson Toyota with a, I guess you'd call that a mini fleet.

-They have a panel truck followed by multiple vehicles from Robinson Toyota.

-Oh, I think that's Joseph with one of his little ones.

Joseph Robinson.

Don't forget, you can watch the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Parade on-demand anytime you want.

If you'll download that PBS app, and you can do that on your smart TV, or your phone, or your tablet, and all of the Channel 11 local programs can be found there, and you can watch those anytime you want.

You can catch a rebroadcast of some of the past West Tennessee Strawberry Festival parades or any of our-- Look at the World's Biggest Fish Fry, the Teapot, th..

If you'll look up to West Tennessee PBS Retro 11, it's on the schedule as Retro 11.

They're streaming now at West Tennessee at westtnpbs.org, and of course, on that free app.

Oh my goodness, what is that?

-That's a Sonic ring.

-That's the Sonic mascot.

-That looks yummy.

-The sonic cup.

-Oh, skaters.

Sonic skaters.

-Yes, every now and then you'll be at a Sonic, and they'll actually be in the skates.

-Some of them do and some of them don't, but that's-- -I don't know how anybody -carries food in- -In skates?

I know.

-on skates.

[chuckles] -I have enough trouble-- -How does that happen?

[laughs] -I'd have enough trouble walking and carrying the food.

-It used to be that everybody roller-skated.

There were roller rinks everywhere, and now it's a little bit different world.

Ultrasound, pregnancy testing.

-This is Birth Choice.

I'm trying to find on our notes.

-Birth Choice.

-Yes, this is Birth Choice.

There's a Birth Choice office in Jackson, Tennessee, and there's also one that actually my church supports over in Trenton, for the Gibson County Birth Choice office.

-They have another vehicle as well, I believe, right behind that for Birth Choice adoption agency.

-They do a really, really nice job where you can go if you find yourself in an unwanted pregnancy to give you all the options and help you get started.

They do ultrasounds, pregnancy tests, help you get started with supplies, whatever that you decide to do.

-There's this little queen.

-All right.

-Kaylynn Whittemore, the tiny Miss Strawberry Shortcake, -sponsored by the Fluffy Comb company.

-[laughs] Okay.

-Oh, for that curly hair.

-I know, look at it.

-How cute.

Home, and Auto, Life from Jeremy Chandler.

Farmers Insurance.

[horn] Looks like they got a bunch of berries right.. -A whole load.

I went and picked up some berries at Green Acres in Milan.

Oh, they were so good.

People ask about, "Where are the berries around Humboldt?"

50, 60, years ago, even longer, strawberries was a huge industry in Humboldt.

People grew them, they were [?]

-People do ask, some out-of-towners sometimes, "Why can't you buy berries at the Strawberry Festival?"

They're primarily grown outside the area, and for those folks to shut down and that set up a vendor booth here at the festival would be quite a task.

You do have to go outside of Humboldt -to get the berries.

-It used to be a huge industry.

-Yes, it's a different day.

Yes, because now it's prime time, and by the time they take away from that and come here to do-- Because you can imagine if they only had one or two booths set up on this Humboldt parade route or the whole thing, that wouldn't do well.

-Green Acres usually does.

-This is- -Do they?

-the Gibson County High School Marching Pioneers.

[music] [applause] -Way to go, Gibson County.

[music] [applause] -Way to go, Pioneers.

[music] -Great job by the Gibson County High School Marching Band.

All right.

-Southern Health and Wellness Clinic.

-Stephanie Boling is the owner of the Southern Health and Wellness Clinic.

That's her husband, Greg is driving and Stephanie's in there with him.

-All right.

-Oh, Barbie Jeep.

-Oh my.

-This is Miss Shelby County Volunteer Malia Bickham and Miss Shelby County, and Iris Team Volunteer Kylie Perry.

Got a hot pink strawberry.

Don't see that very often.

Not around Humboldt Town, right?

-Kylie Perry is a Medina girl.

-Is that right?

-Yes, I know her.

-Good deal.

-Here's Avery Emerson.

She's Miss Tennessee Harvest.

-Wonder if that's little brother in the front there [chuckles] waving.

So cute.

-All right, here's a beautiful Bronco decorated.

Four beautiful young ladies.

-Queen Fowler.

-Queen Hannah Fowler, West Carroll High School.

-You should be able to check for the winners on the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Facebook page a little bit later today after the parade.

Let's see, we're about an hour and 20 minutes in now, so I would say, what?

-We're not even close.

-Not even close.

-Not even close.

-We'll be here for a while.

-We got to have a ways to go.

-That is all right.

-The parade yesterday was about hour 45 to two hours.

Of course, the parade on Thursday is the Junior floats, the largest hand-pulled, no-motorized vehicle parade anywhere.

-Miss Humboldt Volunteer, Leah Smith, Miss Springtime Volunteer, and Miss Humboldt Volunteer.

Do they have to be a certain age to be in the Junior Parade?

-It's all middle school-- -Or they just have to--?

Oh, okay.

-High school.

Everything today is high school and up.

Yesterday is all elementary, middle school.

There are no motorized vehicles in the parade.

-Everything's hand pulled or pushed.

-Humboldt Senior Center joining us today.

I see a big chicken.

Wonder who that could be.

That is Humboldt Senior Center.

Oh, that's a pretty hat.

[laughs] I wonder if she wore that last week for the derby.

It's like a good derby hat.

-I'm sorry.

That's the lady that is director of the Senior Citizen Center.

Oh, this is Tyson and the Tyson chicken.

-There you go.

-The Tyson plant here in Humboldt employs a lot of residents.

-They got a good dancing chicken, I'll give them that.

[loud horn] [laughs] It's like everybody's having a good time walking behind.

[loud horn] -This is a very large semi from international volunteer in Jackson, Tennessee.

[[loud horn] -It has a very loud horn too.

-Got another queen.

This is of course the 87th annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Parade 2025.

Miss Madison County volunteer is Grayson Van Winkle.

Pageant Director Beth Murley there in the front seat.

-You have another queen approaching.

A pretty strawberry outfit.

She probably has her sign on the back of the vehicle.

Therefore, we won't know who she is till she passes, and she does.

It's Medina's Sweetheart, Hailey Ivy.

Also Medina's Sweetheart Kylie Wilbert.

-Oh boy, rootin' tootin'.

-I've been waiting -for this one.

-Rootin' tootin' through Berryland.

This is the Mr. and Ms, Humboldt Spring Blossom, sponsored by the Humboldt Volunteer Pageant.

Have multiple queens on this float.

-Pretty girls and the little bitty queen there -on the front.

-Her crown is as big as she is.

-Hey, no such thing as a crown too big, right?

-Woody's on this float from Toyland.

Toy Story.

-Mr. and Ms. Humboldt Spring Blossom Royalty.

Two more ladies.

Miss Elementary America fifth grade, Avery Emison, Miss Tennessee Junior High School America, Farrah McDurmon.

I think I can finally turn the page on this.

Shane Lynch for mayor in that Thunderbird.

Wow.

That's a nice move.

Miss Heart of the South Teen Volunteer, Stella Higdon.

You were talking about the-- Is this a jumbotron?

Can that be considered?

I know it's right across from us, everybody can't .. but if you've been to the parade, you'll notice right up by the judges stand that's a big-- What do you call that?

-It's a Jumbo-- It is called a Jumbotron?

-I would say--.. That's just new the past couple of years.

-It's really, really enhances sponsorships, gives them so much more air time and so much more visibility.

-Bang for their buck.

-Absolutely, yes.

-That's the balloons.

-That's where the bubbles are coming from.

-Oh, that's where the bubbles are coming from.

Funkee Foam.

funkeefoam.com.

That's F-U-N-K-E-E. How fun.

Bubbles?

-Oh, yes.

-Bubbles everywhere.

Yes, the Jumbotron just runs constantly and has sponsors and clips from past.

Miss Paris, Iris Teen, Miss Ella Burden passing by.

You're right, it really does enhance the whole festival.

You move it around during the week to different spots?

-Right.

It's on a trailer, and they move it.

-They move it.

That's-- -Program it.

The USS Nethery.

-Let's see who that is.

-A very special Navy vet.

-It looks like he's pretty well taken care of right there with those ladies.

-All right.

Coming up is the Milan High School Marching Band.

They're slowly coming up the street.

I think I mentioned earlier that all of these bands from Gibson County, South Gibson, Milan, and Trenton Peabody, once they go through the parade with their high school band, they go back to Bailey Park, reassemble into the mass band, and will come back through as one massive band toward the end of the parade.

It is something to see.

-Does that mean you have to be selected- -No, it's- -for that?

-everybody in the band.

-Oh, okay.

-All four bands together.

-It's like 300.

-I was going to ask if you knew how many.

-It's about 300 people.

-Wow.

They don't audition or volunteer or anything, it's just all the bands get together?

That's pretty amazing.

The Gibson County bands, -or the Gibson County school.

-Right, Gibson County, S.. -Milan- -Milan, Humboldt.

-Trenton Peabody, and Humboldt.

Yes, it's five bands.

-Now that will be something to see.

-That's why Daryl was speaking earlier about people that are sitting on the edge of the street, because that band goes curb to curb.

-When they see that band coming, they're going to- -They're going to have to move.

-have to get out of the way.

-Not much mistaken about that.

-We're right now waiting on the Milan High School Band to approach the judges' stand.

-Performing.

They're not too far away.

-Something I mentioned that we have done differently, recently, the festival magazine that's been put out for years with all the advertisements, all the royalty pictures, two or three years ago, they went to a more of a condensed version.

They put all of the ads in a smaller version, which is this booklet.

It's free.

The actual magazine that has the royalties in it, they do sell them at the local banks.

All of the map, all of the vendors, all the food vendors, a map in the middle of this booklet of where everything's located.

These are given out free for two weeks before the festival.

It gives the sponsors a little more visibility.

-It lets you know what's coming up too.

-It's really been a good decision.

-It's a good size.

I actually picked up a couple of the copies at the old country store the other day [laughs].

-I loved them.

-All right, here's the Milan -High School band.

-The Milan High School band.

[music] [crowd cheers] [music] -Great job for the Milan High School Band.

-The Milan Marching Bulldogs.

-The judges of the bands, there are different categories based on the number of individuals in the band.

If you have way more than another band, then you'll be in a different category than a smaller band.

The Humboldt Band, they're not included in any of it because they're the host band.

Al Chymia Shriners.

That means the hillbillies can't be far behind.

[laughter] -Al Chymia Shriners have several vehicles.

-Al Chymia from Oakland, Tennessee, from Millington.

For the Strawberry Festival Parade, they bring out lots of vehicles for this one.

-Here we go.

-[laughs] -The don't laugh, it's paid for vehicle.

-[laughs] -I love that.

-That's right.

-Can't go anywhere without your Charles Chips.

You probably remember that too -when the Charles Chips truck -Oh, yes.

-used to come around the neighborhoods.

-I remember when they were so precious.

-Now you can get them anywhere, -Yes, because-- -but when they were only sold in those cans-- -Because they're like, "Let's get some in the cans."

My momma's like, "How are we going to do that?

Just get them in a bag in the grocery store."

[laughs] -Whoo, smoke.

-Now, it's a rarity.

Whoo wee.

-Give me a hillbilly.

-That's like the smoke that came from the Vatican, -the white smoke.

-That's true.

-Since we have a new Pope.

Now we've got a little-- -Got a little bit-- -Oh.

-A little lag in the crowd.

-We do.

There's so many people that make this happen every year, your sponsors.

I hope everybody takes time to look at that on Facebook and get your booklet and look out.

Because it just takes so many people to make -the festival happen every year.

-We have about 95 sponsors.

That goes from the title sponsor, BR Supply, all the way down to a large group called Friends of the Festival.

Each one contribute a different amount to the festival.

Because other than three or four events that you have to purchase tickets, everything else is free.

You do have to purchase tickets for the prayer breakfast that we had Monday morning, the governor's luncheon.

For the most part, everything we do is free.

The opening celebration.

-Now the fireworks I know is expensive, and that's a free-- Didn't you have fireworks on the opening celebration?

-Oh, yes.

Right.

-That's the opening celebration.

-That's not cheap.

-That's all, and somebody sponsors the fireworks.

Somebody sponsors the different small events.

-Theta Eta Omega Chapter celebrating 60 years of sisterhood and service in West Tennessee.

The Alpha Woman.

-Ms. Teresa Donnell is one of my good friends.

She's with that group.

-Rent me.

[laughs] -I met this on the highway this morning coming in from my house.

-Affordable, portable storage.

That's interesting.

-There's a truck in Jackson that I have seen.

It's not like-- The back of it you can rent.

It's like a Jumbotron, but it's on the back of a truck.

You can just rent it for a period of time.

-This is Our Site or Your Site.

-That one's like a-- They move it.

-affordableportable.com.

-They move it and set it up.

This is a truck, and the side of it is a Jumbotron.

I guess you can rent it and drive it around.

-Propose.

-Yes.

-I was like-- -Will you marry me?

-Oh, me?

-Yes, happy birthday so-and-so.

I haven't seen that.

-One of the neat things, and it just popped up on the Jumbotron across .. is the Strawberry Festival app.

We're the only festival anywhere that you can download the Strawberry Festival app, -and everything is on that app.

-Really?

-All the registrations for every event, all of the directions, all of the details, -all of the maps, everything.

-It's from the QR code.

-Everything is on that West Tennessee Strawberry Festival TN app.

-Sunland Logistics Solutions in Milan, with their banner.

Oh, look at their little mascot, little pup.

-Aww.

He has a Sunland collar on.

-Sunland Logistics, once again.

-Don't forget, if you get a little bit nostalgic, you can see the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival parades, or the Fish Fry, or Iris Festival from years past.

Just go to West Tennessee's PBS Retro 11, which is streaming now at westtnpbs.org, or that free PBS app.

Pastor Cook, Ward 3 Alderman, running for office there.

It's fun to look in on some of those older Strawberry Festival parades and different ones, especially with the pageant.

If you're ever in the pageant circuit in a certain period of time, because you'll see several different ones from that, whatever era that is.

Just look-- -Yes, I've gone back and looked the ..

Wound up actually serving three years general chairman, and then I had to cancel the entire event of the week in 2020 because of COVID, and then I completed my reign out in 2021.

I've gone back and looked at the parades, and it's so much fun.

-A lot of people got elected to do things in 2021, and ended up finally resigning about 2023.

[laughs] -Oh, I know, yes.

-That was one of those.

We didn't really have anything last year, but there wasn't any planning time either.

[crosstalk] -Only the second time that the festival has not gone on, and the other time was during World War II- -I knew there was another one.

-and then, my year.

[chuckles] That's like, yay.

It wasn't what I wanted to be noted for, but anyway.

[music] -This is Bongard Creamery.

This is a industry out here on the Bypass, Bongard Creamery.

They make cheeses.

[music] -This is a Memphis band, Bellevue Middle School Band.

That's a large band from Memphis.

-The back of their vests say, it's showtime.

-Do you have many bands from that far away usually?

Do you have many Memphis bands?

-A long time ago we used to have bands from Mis.. and a lot from Memphis.

It's just, I guess it's gotten so expensive to transport.

-It's a lot, yes, to travel.

-Bellevue Middle School from Memphis.

-They used to roll in like three buses and then a trailer with their equipment, I think it's just price and cost-prohibitive for some of them to come.

Miss Golden Circle Teen Volunteer, Mary Blake Ferguson.

Beautiful young lady.

-Yes, the school travel, just filled trips and a lot of things like that, and I'm sure the bands are affected too.

The circumstances are different now as far as how many field trips they can take.

-It's just a really expensive endeavor to bring a band.

-A lot of them travel to these competitions in the fall, don't they?

-See, band competition has gotten to be so huge, -that's where they spend their dollars.

-The money.

-Yes.

They go and compete for the big trophies and that kind of stuff.

-School gets money for that.

Yes, when a band parent or a booster club parent comes to knock on your door or calls you up, you better answer.

-This is the Christian Care Center of Medina.

It is a Christian Care nursing home facility, relatively new, right next to the Sonic.

It's just a really nice place.

I've been involved in doing some collections of bingo prize items to take to them, for them to use as bingo prizes.

-Christian Care Center.

-I think it's been there about two years.

-Is that a day time or a full living facility?

-Yes, it's a full living facility.

I think it's been there about two years.

-Dazzling Divas from over in Jackson.

Got a little dancing going on for us.

-They're a lot more flexible than I am.

-Yes.

[laughs] -I like that.

Yes.

-That's just how that goes after a while, right?

Glad you could join us for the 87th Annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Parade.

I'm Julie Cook with WLJT Channel 11, along with Betty Langley, who has sat in this chair for a few years and past Strawberry Festival President and Humboldtian.

-Is that what you called Humboldt folk?

-Yes, that's it.

-Humboldtian.

-From Humboldt.

She's very much in the know about everything.

-I wasn't born here, but I've been here .. -so a long time.

-A school teacher, -so you know a lot of folks- -A long time.

-around West Tennessee, I'm sure.

The Dancing Divas from Jackson.

-They're getting their steps in today.

-Ooh, yes.

A lot of different age groups there.

There's some little ones on the back there.

-There's a pretty-- Humboldt Housing Authority.

Kind of a steel blue Bronco.

It's also provided by Gene Langley Ford, Humboldt Housing Authority.

-The festival will continue tonight, and then there's one more day, Saturday, and then it's done, right?

-Right.

There's two pageants this afternoon.

There's music every night down here on Main Street.

The horse show is tonight.

Walking horse show out at the Walking Horse Arena.

Tomorrow, there are two pageants.

Tomorrow's the 5K, 10K early in the morning, two pageants.

Here's Yahweh.

Yahweh, who's running for mayor of Humb.. -Of Humboldt?

Okay.

Looking for the town there.

There's still plenty to do here in Humboldt.

-Just come on out.

-Oh, yes.

The food vendors are absolutely down at the food court, at the Senior Citizen Center.

-Oh my, what a float.

-This one's cute.

-Little baby fellas right there on the front.

They not like us in learning.

-Let's see.

I did see them.

-This is the daycare center.

-Aww.

-I'm trying to remember which one.

Miss Flossie's Academy of Development, Little People Daycare.

-In memory of Miss Flossie Barnes and Joanne Anderson.

Miss [?]

Mom and dad folks walking behind there.

Oh boy, when you get in trouble out on the road Gene's Wrecker Service.

Got that big old truck, decorated that with strawberries.

-Cleaned it up.

Have it all shiny.

-A little puppy dog.

I guess that's the mascot.

[chuckles] -Here's another pretty young lady.

She is the Miss Iris Festival, Abigail Gibbler.

She's pretty.

She looks like she might be a little cold.

-I imagine some of these-- I thought I'd have my jacket off by now, -but not so.

-No.

Mine feels great.

-Distinctive Dancerettes -Dancerettes.

From Jackson.

-We've got another group coming that are going to be dancing.

Mitzi PrivItt, who is president of the 87th Festival, has done a wonderful job.

For years, Mitzi was the official float builder.

I'm talking about 20 years but official float builder.

She has made the statement that she doesn't get to see a lot that goes on because she is building floats, repairing floats right up until the time they go down the street, practically, but she's built floats.

She's been president, and she has done an awesome job.

Danny Wade is the general chairman, and he will step up.

Once this week is wrapped up, he'll step up to become president, and then he will select a general chairman to follow him.

-Distinctive Dancerettes from Jackson.

I have to wonder, are they still building floats, or is there somebody else who's doing that?

-Yes.

I think Mitzi started early.

She has a huge facility at her house.

I think she repaired all of the festival floats early on.

I'm not sure whether she actually built any at all this year because she's so busy.

I don't know if she built any or not, but I know she did the repair to the floats because we have a float barn and we reuse those floats- -I was going to say because can you-- -and just patch them up.

-Or, if you can just- -We store them inside.

-take part of that part and recycle.

-Yes, we store them inside and they just refresh and add where stuff-- -Repuff, repoof.

[laughs] -Yes.

-Dancerettes.

-I think they look like a strawberry with the red outfits- -Yes, with the little green beret.

-and the green caps.

They're dressed like strawberries.

Good job.

Dancing.

Lots of dancers.

-Distinctive Dancerettes- -Distinctive Dancerettes.

-from Jackson, Tennessee.

I can tell you, I see the parade, it's still coming over the hill to our left.

-Yes, we've got a pretty good view here.

-We can see most of the parade.

[laughs] -Long way to go.

That's not quite the curve though.

When you get in the curve going out of town, I don't think.

It's still as far back as we can see.

There's still Miss Daisy Callie Richardson.

It's Miss Daisy Callie Richardson.

-Yes, her title is mistaken.

-They parked the floats from the intersection of 22nd and Main.

The floats are parked on both sides of the street, back over the hill, past the Catholic Church, out toward the Bypass, and they line them up.

-Jackson Volunteer Pre-team, Liv Owens and Miss Madison County Volunteer.

-Crye-Leike Elite Realtors.

They have a trailer, and then it's decorated on the back with a little house.

-Got their red shirts on today.

Crye-Leike Realtors.

These are all of the realtors.

-I see Angi Mathenia, I know her.

-Works for Crye-Leike.

-Miss Miller.

Who else have we got?

-All the ladies have on crowns.

-That's cute.

-Oh, okay.

Everybody gets one.

-That's-- -Yes.

-Those are the realtors.

-I like that.

[laughs] Anybody who's a realtor probably feels like they deserve a crown.

-That's right.

-They work hard.

-All right.

Miss Rockabilly Teen Volunteer, Miss Alyvia Baxter.

-Miss Michigan Volunteer, Lydia Fisher.

Of course, our Miss Volunteer America pageant is next month in June at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.

Then Miss Tennessee Volunteer is over in July.

-Last year, we had a float that had about 25 of the different states' volunteers on it.

It was great.

-I think I remember that.

They may have been in town for like an orientation or something.

-Some event.

-Yes, that sounds familiar, -now that you say that.

-They had them in the parade.

There were like 20 or 25 of them on the float, all representing different states.

-The different states.

-That was quite an undertaking.

There's little young lady, she's-- Yes, she's Crye-Leike.

Still part of the Crye-Leike realtor group.

She cute.

-I think there's a two-year-old driving .. -Oh, dear.

[laughs] -I'm surprised he's not blowing the horn.

-I think daddy's got him.

[laughter] -This is - -Crockett.

-the Crockett County Marching Cavaliers.

All right, Crockett.

[music] -Crockett County Marching Cavaliers.

Britney Spears' Toxic.

-I'll mention a new event they started last year is Berry Idol.

About three or four months ago, they had the preliminaries and they selected 15.

Then, Tuesday night, I believe it was, they had the Berry Idol competition.

Two of the ladies that placed sang at intermission last night at one of the pageants I was MCing, and they were fantastic.

Both of them have earned spots.

The girl who won, won money and a spot in the Mid-South Fair talent competition.

She was amazing.

They were really, really good, so that's turned into a really big thing.

[music] -Thank you to the Crockett County Cavalier Marching band.

Everyone loves the bands.

-What have we got here?

The big, pink truck.

-It's Cullipher's-- It's from Alamo.

-Alamo, yes.

I see it now.

-Yes, it's the Cullipher-- -I didn't know they had a pink truck.

My hometown.

HLC Cullipher Alamo.

-It's propane gas business.

American Breast Cancer Foundation.

He is very supportive of that.

Miss UT Martin Rodeo Queen, Claire Irwin.

Tell you what, the UT Martin Rodeo is big.

-Big event every year.

-It is big.

I worked with my sorority at Martin for eight years as general advisor, and when Rodeo Weekend comes, you don't do anything else.

It is big.

The rodeo team at UT Martin's really well known too.

All right, here is the Trenton Teapot Festival float, with all of the queens on it.

Brooke Davis is one of the queens.

I see her little name placard.

I can't read the rest of them.

Pretty float.

-Yes, they had their parade just a week or so ago, you can catch that on the westtnpbs.org.

Speaking of which, I think I see one of our friends.

-PBS Kids.

-Yes, you do.

-Tania Tasker and Daniel Tiger from West Tennessee PBS.

That's WLJT Channel 11.

-Some excellent, excellent broadcasting on WJLT PBS.

We have Miss Lauderdale County.

-Julia Manley.

-Julia Manley.

Pretty silver Jeep.

-There's a lot of pink.

There's more pink this year.

Is that just me or is it--?

Have you noticed that?

-People are using a lot of pink with the red.

A couple of the gowns last night, girls in the pageants I was MCing, had on red gowns, but the underside of the gown was pink.

When it would flip around, it was pink under the red.

-Just a good combo.

-This is Miss Gibson County High School Ella Kate McCurdy.

-The wind has really not let up.

I'm looking at some of these queens, I thought that their-- -At least there's no humidity today,- -No.

-everybody's curls aren't drooping a whole lot.

This is Miss Daisy Queen, Nora Manley.

-Yes, that wind.

-Bernie High School Band coming up.

Did I say that right, Bernie?

Bernie High School.

Maritza Barajas?

-Yes, this is the Milan High School Cheerleaders.

-Maritza is West Carroll.

-West Carroll.

West Carroll.

-Marching band, War Eagles sponsored.

Maritza.

There's a Milan Bulldog.

Milan cheerleaders.

-The Bernie High School Marching Mules.

I don't know what state Bernie High School is in.

[music] -Thank you.

I think Bernie High School is from Bernie, Missouri.

-Missouri?

-I had to Google it -because it wasn't anywhere I could find,- -That's what it's about.

-but I think Bernie High School-- -I don't know if we got a Bernie, Tennessee or-- This is West Carroll Elementary Queen, Abigail Hays and her cohort.

Miss Carroll Elementary.

I like the white cowboy boots with that strawberry miniskirt.

[music] -Rowan Services.

-Wow, that's a big truck.

From the looks of the mechanism, I think it-- Oh, that's the cover.

That's the cover that rolls over the top.

I see.

I thought maybe it was a dump truck, but I don't think it is.

-Storage maybe?

-Yes.

They slide it off.

It looks like it's on a track, and they sli.. -Put all your stuff in there.

[chuckles] -I could use that and clean out some closets.

-Oh, gosh.

Yes, closet clean out that'd be-- -I sure could.

-Them, I could use two.

I don't know.

How about you?

-I could.

-Stewart Finance.

Some of their employees there.

-They're back in business.

Their office was on Central Avenue not too many months ago -and burned, and they've rebuilt it.

-Oh my goodness.

-Here in Humboldt then, I guess?

-Yes, Stewart Finance.

-That's a tough break.

-It's very jarring, for sure.

-All right, Sports P.. in Humboldt.

Sports Plus Humboldt.

-Looks like some folks who might be moving around a little bit better than they might have been otherwise.

Got a little fella there.

I'm actually going to Sports Plus Rehab.

I had an issue with my upper back, and Jeff Lansdale, who's driving the truck, he's my PT that's making me better.

-Well, he'll be glad to get a shout-out, I'm sure.

-I just started last week.

We've got Miss South Carol, and her name is Piper Ann LaPriest.

-The pink is hard to read.

-It was.

-Seriously sideways.

-It was pink letters, and it was difficult to read.

-Well, this is a nice little twist, putting the queen surrounded by a balloon circle.

-Miss Halls.

Madeline Turnbow.

There were a couple of floats yesterday in the Thursday parade that the bulk of the float was a big balloon.

They're doing so much with balloons now.

-Gorgeous balloon- -Yes, they are beautiful.

-arch on the float, so pretty.

-Have you ever tried to make one- -No.

-and do all those little knots?

I jumped in and volunteered.

-Did your fingers-- -One time that lasted for about an hour [chuckles].

-There are people that do that-- -I love to do it.

There's a man in Medina, and he has a huge business,- -Oh, yes, it is good business.

-and does all these arches and things.

I don't know how your fingers [crosstalk]-- -Who is this lovely girl?

Miss Milan Fall Fest.

Farragrace Blackburn?

-Bankston.

-Bankston, -hard to read those little [crosstalk]-- -Yes.

I volunteered for that one time, -and that was it.

-That was it.

-The lady I was working with, she said, "I just hate balloons."

I said, "I never realized it, but I think I do, too.

Let's not volunteer for this job again."

[laughs] Everybody has their gifts, -and this is not one of my [crosstalk]-- -That's not one of.. -West Tennessee Medical Group.

-Medical Group.

We are the pick of the patch.

-Cute.

-How about that?

Cutie.

Oh, I love those little hair bands.

How cute is that?

Mama's wearing them too.

I guess they ordered those from someplace.

-That's cute.

-I say every year I'm going to get some strawberry stuff and really wear it, then I get here and forget about it.

-You can come to my house and I can fix you right up.

-I always wonder if y'all have strawberry closet clean outs over here [laughs] to get rid of your strawberry stuff.

-I've got a tub full of- -I bet.

-dishes and cups and-- -Yard flags.

Oh, look at this carriage.

-She's driving that carriage.

-Oh, it's a little motorized, and I did not-- Let's see if we can catch the name of that.

-Miss McNary County.

Volunteer.

-McNary County.

Selmer still recovering from all that damage.

Miss Iris, West Tennessee Teen, Gracie Gaines.

A lot of friends in Selmer are still recovering from all the flooding and damage.

This is Miss Tennessee Tulip Summer, Sarah Oaks.

Jackson Christian Eagle Marching Band.

Let's listen to Jackson Christian Marching Band.

[marching band music] -Jackson Christian Eagle Marching Band.

-Oh, my goodness.

Look at these acrobats -coming up the street- -Oh, my.

-doing all these back bends.

-I don't know if your PT guy is going to help you with that, Betty.

-I'll have to talk to Jeff Lansdale about that next week.

-I'm not sure that's in your future, -but [crosstalk]-- -I'm not sure I want it in my future.

[laughter] -I can't imagine.

My little sister used to do gymnastics.

She was just like a noodle.

If you start young and keep it up [crosstalk]-- -Yes, flexibility.

Goodness gracious.

-Are these ladies from-- Maybe this will tell us, coming up.

-Okay, this is from Bonnie's School of Dance.

-Okay, here in Humboldt.

-Right.

-Tap, ballet.

-A good place to dance.

-Yes.

-A very good place to dance.

-Any place is a very good place to dance.

Acrobats, tap, ballet, and I'm thinking jazz is going to be-- -yes, jazz is on the other side.

-Yes, it is.

This was in the parade yesterday.

Miss Bonnie has been around a long time and has trained a bunch of young ladies.

-She really has.

-Yes.

All right.

Here comes a new nice, pretty, white Mustang.

Miss Rockabilly.

-She's pretty.

-I'm liking the ruffled look coming back.

-Pretty.

-I hope they don't go too crazy with it.

[chuckles] Got a little wild a few years ago, but that off the shoulder, that's really pretty.

-Emma Grace Dotson's Fairest of the Fair.

-Rhythm Nation Line Dance Group, and I believe this is a group that we have seen at a couple of parades this season.

They are getting on the move, I'll tell you that.

[cheering] -You may notice these are not high school girls.

-No.

No.

-These are ladies who are staying in shape.

[cheering] -Watch them dance.

-That was the first time I'd seen that with the fans.

I guess that adds to the routine.

That's a good form of exercise.

-I admire them.

That's a large group, too.

My bone and joint doctor says motion is lotion.

Keep moving.

Keep moving.

Motion is lotion.

Keep moving.

Watch them go.

-They've walked all the way, and now they're performing.

-The lady in the front has on boots, but the rest of them have on tennis shoes, so let's-- -Well, there's a lot of boots [?].

A lot of people dancing in their boots.

[cheering] [applause] -A lot of applause, yes.

I think they've got a fan club.

-Rhythm Nation Line Dance Group.

-You go, girls.

-I don't know if they're in Gibson County or over in J.. but you can probably look up Rhythm Nation [?].

Those are some snazzy boots she's got on.

-You noticed their shoes.

The tennis shoes have [crosstalk]-- -Oh, they're pearls.

-They have pearl beads on them.

-Oh my goodness.

-That's awesome.

-That is awesome.

-That is great.

-Keep moving, ladies.

-Motion is lotion.

-Motion is lotion.

That's right.

Well, I don't see the end of the parade, so [crosstalk]-- -I still don't either, Betty.

-We've been going two hours and 15 minutes, -and it's still [crosstalk]-- -The flashing lights back there, would that be [crosstalk]-- -Possibly, I don't know.

Miss Tennessee Volunteer Preteen Avery Bozza.

-And Brooke Davis.

-Miss South Gibson County High School.

Yes.

-Here's Humboldt Walmart.

-For businesses to put something in the parade, it's great advertisement, it's support of the local community, but man, what kind of advertisement?

-It is amazing.

-It is.

-Thousands and thousands of people.

-Just for them to leave because they probably have to take-- during their work day, they couldn't if they were on shift.

Humboldt Grooming.

Oh, there's one.

Oh, look at these little pups.

-Look at that little bitty black one with the pom pom on his legs.

-Oh, how cute.

-So cute.

We've got Edie Rogers, Miss Union City- -Yes.

-2025-, and Chris from- -Froggy.

-Froggy Communications over in Jackson.

-Froggy 104.

-Froggy 104.

-There's Mr. Frogman.

Pretty popular guy.

-Froggy 104.

-Froggy.

Hey, Froggy.

-[laughs] Stigall Bay and alumni-- No, Stigall High School alumni coming up, class of 1970.

-They ride in it every year.

Last class of Stigall High School.

-Okay, so that was the very- -1970, right.

-last class that graduated.

-Yes.

45 years.

-Before they integrated and all became one school.

Yes.

-Class of 1970.

-55 years Hornets.

-This is Total Realty Source in Jackson.

-They're ready to move you in today, I believe.

-Home sweet home.

-Commercial or residential.

All dolled up for the Berry Festival.

-You can do a lot with a little tooling and some bows.

Very festive.

Here are The Marching War Eagles from West Carroll Junior Senior High School.

They're in Atwood, Tennessee.

Not too far away.

[marching band music] [cheering] -Welcome back to the 87th West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Parade.

Did you say we'd get to the two-hour mark.

-Did you tell me that, Betty, or?

-Let's see.

-Oh, two hours [crosstalk]-- [?]

[crosstalk]-- -Miss Black Gibson County is in with her court.

Miss Black Gibson County, Olivia and Mindy.

-I'm not sure [?]

[crosstalk] -Can't read all the names.

-It's a hard list to read.

Miss Tennessee Waltz, Katie Bateman.

-She was in the pageant last night in the court.

[background noise] -These are Maggie's Majorettes.

Twirling used to be a big thing, and there's not nearly as much anymore.

A lot of the big college bands still have majorettes.

-Do they?

Because I know when I was younger, there was a lot.

Well, now they have-- Plus they have a lot more sports to play now, and a lot more of the studios teach more variety of things.

It may be for that, but everybody can't twirl.

It's hard to get good at twirling.

Cute.

Another queen.

Miss Hub City Volunteer, Zoey Burleson, with her Iris Princesses, Sadie and Scarlet Carroll.

-You know those girls that are going to become Majorettes in front.. or the Alabama band, they've got to start somewhere.

-Start small.

Yes.

The Lions Club of Humboldt.

I have several friends that are members of the Lions Club.

District 121 site services.

It's one of the Lions Club platforms.

Collecting the eyeglasses.

-Michael Butler's riding in the back.

-Oh, yes.

-Michael is a hard worker.

Anything they sell,- -He sure does.

-Michael is selling it.

-I know Michael.

What have we got here?

Let's see.

-Eagle Enterprises.

Lawn care, irrigation.

-Irrigation, lot cleaning.

They do a lot of different things.

-Oh, there's another bubble machine.

-Oh my.

-Is that a new thing?

-I don't know, but it's [crosstalk]-- -I don't know that I've seen so many bubbles as I have today.

Got to love that.

-If I'm not mistaken, Peter had a strawberry bubble machine sitting on his desk last year.

-He has one at the office, -Yes, he did.

-- -and I can't believe it's not in my hand.

From the studio.

-He gave us one last year.

-[?]

Maybe that's where it came from.

Sunstar Insurance of Tennessee.

Oh, look at those little ones dancing.

-They've all got on their Sunstar shirts.

-Well, those look like team.

-I wonder if that's [?]

[crosstalk]- -They probably sponsor -a little girls [crosstalk]-- -girl team or something.

-I would say a little girl softball team.

-Yes.

I bet you're right.

-Oh, well, I recognize a couple of the kids, so yes.

-They're dancing, that's for sure.

Putting on a show.

More bubbles.

Branded Layne on East End Drive in Jackson.

-Mr. Berry there.

-It's in Humboldt.

-What did I say?

Sorry.

East End Drive in Humboldt.

-I don't think we have one in Jackson.

-Branded Layne.

Huh.

That's a new one.

All right.

Tammy Floyd Wade.

-That's quite [crosstalk]-- -Tennessee Democratic Stat..

This is the Tennessee Democratic Party Float.

Hardman County, Crockett County, Madison County, West Tennessee democrats.

Lots of counties united together there.

-And one little fella.

-Look at him waving his flag.

-How cute.

-Sweet.

-He's just waving his flag.

-All right.

The Humboldt Area Rescue Squad.

EMS.

"Don't drink and drive.

Stay alive."

They save berry precious lives.

-They really do a great job.

-Good message.

"Don't drink and drive.

Stay alive."

-Rodney Wright, running for Gibson County Sheriff.

Your county elections are coming up -in Gibson.

-Yes.

The different cities.

Some school boards, that kind of thing.

Look at that little puppy with the bows in his ears.

-Cutest.

Look at that.

-It's cute.

-Look at him and his little pink tongue hanging out.

[laughs] Pink bows to match.

Miss Rockabilly volunteer, Harlei McClintock.

Her Iris princesses, Ava Emerson and Harper Wimberley.

-Pretty girls.

-Every contestant in Miss Tennessee Volunteer has a pair of Iris princesses coming down the street.

Oh, the Milan Bulldogs coming back.

-All right, Dynamix.

This is Dynamix Physical Therapy.

-Several locations in West Tennessee.

-All over.

-One here in Humboldt.

Based in Milan, I think.

Thank you, sir.

Oh, Dynamix.

-He's working.

-Oh my goodness.

Centennial Bank.

Is this their big piggy, you think?

-Piggy bank maybe.

-Piggy bank.

-Maybe.

-There you go.

Centennial Bank.

That is cute.

Yes, she's got her little money, her little coin.

Centennial Bank with locations in several places in West Tennessee.

-Everywhere.

-Everywhere.

Got lots of their little ones on the float.

-How cute.

-There's a couple there in a basket.

Look at the little basket.

I guess that's what that is.

Some kind of structure to keep those babies in one place.

How cute is that?

Save for a berry bright future.

Start early, saving them up.

Centennial Bank.

-All right, 101.5.

Talking West Tennessee.

Just to let you know, we started at ten o'clock.

It is now almost 12:30, and I do not see the end in sight.

-Well, this is the first time I've ever gotten to do this.

I've been in the parade a ton of times, but never in this capacity, so this has been a lot of fun.

-It just keeps on going.

-Keeps on going and [crosstalk]-- -Well, and the weather.

I know over the years, if it's raining, a lot of people-- the bands will back out.

They won't pull a float and have it ruined.

-It's been delayed a time or two that I can think of off the top of my head.

-Yes.

We started at noon one year.

Actually, this has been years ago, years ago, it rained on Thursday.

-They put Thursday and Friday together.

-Oh my goodness.

-Of course, a lot of the local area towns use the same float for the younger girls on Thursday and the high-school-age girls on Friday, so they put them all on the same float.

-They had big girls and little girls.

-How long was that parade?

[chuckles] -The parade went on.

-Good thing there's plenty to eat around here.

-I'm telling you.

-You don't have to wait that long of a time.

-Starting last Friday night when the vendors started coming in, and Saturday night for sure, the street's been full.

People just going from food truck to food truck, vendor to vendor, planning their meals, what you're going to eat.

-That's why sometimes you could get just like a $5.00 bite at each vendor.

That way you could probably eat [?]

[crosstalk].

-A sample.

-Usually if you get two or thr.. -Get a sample, yes.

-Farmer's Home Furniture.

-Beth has done a really good job of getting in a wide variety.

There's Pope from Greenfield, and they have several around town that have your traditional corn dogs, funnel cakes, cotton candy, but then a lot of them are specialty places.

There's one up here on the corner that's grilled cheeses, variety of grilled cheeses.

-There's [crosstalk]- -Trendsetter's Hair Studio.

-Look at that.

-just a wide variety.

-He's working on her hair.

-Riding on the back of a [laughs]-- -I don't know if I'd want anybody with scissors riding a truck.

-I think he's just teasing.

-I think he's just doing some teasing.

-He does.

It looks like he's cutting her hair.

-Cutting her hair, driving down the street.

This is Molly Russell, Miss Dyer County Iris Teen.

Some clever ideas for sure.

Oh, Chaotic Cuts.

Another hair salon in Humboldt.

-Miss Tennessee Princess, Henley Griffin.

Little bitty one there.

[laughs] -Annabeth Massey, Miss Spring.

Couldn't ask for better weather.

-No, and the sun's trying to come out.

-Yes, it's trying to peek.

Hostess Princess, Anna Claire.

Jordan McKenna, Allie Ann.

-Catch it on the back when it comes through and see where they're from.

-World's biggest fish fries.

-Hostess Princess.

-It is.

-From Paris.

We were just up there a couple of weeks ago.

That was a nice parade.

You can catch the rebroadcast of that on WLJT, Channel 11 on the PBS app, or westtnpbs.org.

Do we know who this is?

Here's a band.

-They've got a bee on their hat.

Is it Bolivar?

I know Bolivar's green.

Their colors are green and gold.

Maybe.

I don't know.

[marching band music] -I'm trying to check it.

We believe that's the Bolivar, I hope that's right.

Great sounding band.

Looking good.

-Did a good job.

Just didn't have a banner on that one.

-All right.

Queen Carly Carter, Miss Independence.

-There is no end in sight, so-- -There's really not.

-we're going to push on to-- Hey, little fella.

-Maybe have a three-hour parade today.

-You've got to think a lot of these dads are driving their girls, and they're just about to burst with pride.

Maybe some of them are watching, having somebody else drive.

I don't know.

-Habitat for Humanity... -Awesome.

Awesome organization.

-Wonderful work.

-When you've got skin in the game, it becomes a little more valuable.

-Gibson County Habitat for Humanity.

-Those individuals help build their homes- -Change lives.

-and change lives, absolutely.

-Miss Tennessee Shimmer, Ava Brace Young.

That truck's even got a crown.

-I love that.

-Yes.

That's neat.

Oh, look at them.

How cute.

-They've got kings and queens on that float.

-Look at the animals.

-That little bitty, bitty one.

-All of the animals.

-Let's see.

-If I could find it on my list, I saw it while ago.

-Trenton's Best of the Wild.

-Oh, okay.

-It's West Rustic decor with animals.

-Got to be it.

-Oh, okay.

This is- -Yahweh Towing.

-Yahweh Towing.

-Sun's out.

Look at that.

-It's in again.

[laughs] Yes, maybe we shouldn't talk about it too much.

-[laughs] -Okay.

I didn't say that.

All right, here's a float.

A small float, "Striking Out Suicide."

Absolutely.

-Tennessee Suicide Prevention.

-Northwest Tennessee.

Right.

-Northwest Tennessee.

I believe that number is 988.

There it is.

-The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

-Crisis Lifeline.

-If you need someone to talk to or if you know someone who does, -988.

-Until there are no suicides.

-You can help a friend or you might help yourself.

988.

Real, real easy to call that number and maybe get you through that situation.

-All right, here's one coming up the street I'm not real familiar with.

It's HGF Enterprises.

They have torn down the building on the corner of 14th.

There's an empty lot.

They actually have tents set up and are having these awesome meals inside there every night, different things, and they're going to build something spectacular on that corner.

Their plans with a restaurant and apartments above.

-Wow.

-Yes.

-Very nice.

It's HSG?

HFG?

-HFG Enterprises.

They have torn down an old building that was on the corner that was really in disrepair.

-That's great.

-That's the plan.

Every night though, they put out a schedule, and they're having different things you can buy each night.

They have a tent set up, a tent that looks like a house that actually has windows and stuff.

That's on that corner.

Because when they tore it down, it was just an empty lot.

-I'm really interested to [crosstalk]-- -See what's going to develop there.

-I wish them the best.

-Something new and different and restoring an old place.

Crockett County Pound.

Your berry best friend is saying, "Yay, come and get me."

-VIP, Very Important Pups.

-Some balloon pups and some real pups.

-Yes.

The Crockett County Pound from Alamo.

Bell's Animal Clinic.

That's great.

-Follow on Facebook and on Petfinder, Crockett Cou.. -There's Domino's.

-Domino's -Pizza.

-Electric Delivery.

They'll bring it out to you.

Can I bring it out to you?

Still pageants going on this afternoon and tomorrow, or does it wrap up tonight?

-No, it's two this afternoon and two tomorrow.

-Still got a few left to go.

If you missed any of our other spring festival parades, you can still stream them on demand anytime at westtnpbs.org and at the free PBS app.

You can also watch the Junior Parade from the Strawberry Festival on Thursday, and then this parade as well, the Friday Parade.

The 87th annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Pa.. Now, when I was at the Regional Art Museum years ago, they had a section of old pictures and write-ups and things about the Strawberry Festival from years past.

Is that just during festival time- -No, it's there all the time.

-or is it there all the time?

-Yes.

Actually, the chamber which was in the left part of that old city hall has moved, and they're in this white house down here.

They've taken in the area that used to be the chamber and is now expanded to the museum.

-Peabody FFA.

Yes.

Hard work, and they're always raising plants or selling strawberries or doing something there.

That's a great looking float.

That John Deere on the front.

Larry Michaud I believe.

Marine Corps Veterans.

Life is berry good -at Tennessee State Veterans' Home.

-Tennessee State Veterans' Home.

-That's a great little vehicle.

-Yes.

-That must be built out outside that-- [coughs] Excuse me.

[marching band music] -This is a group from Chester County.

Band members from Chester County.

Chester County Marching Band there.

We have Girl Scouts.

This is Troop 40106.

-I think I was a Girl Scout until my last year of school.

We loved Girl Scouting over in Crockett.

It's a wonderful program.

-All that camping and [crosstalk]-- -They have so many millions of programs now that we didn't have.

A lot of great memories from that.

Miss Pawsitive.

P-A-W-S-itive.

Impact.

Anna-Lise Camaparet.

I'm sorry.

I'm afraid I'm going to-- but Anna-Lise, thank you.

Beautiful lady.

-Here comes Miss Dresden.

-That's a beautiful float.

-Miss Dresden.

People from other-- Not just outside Humboldt, but I guess everybody from around West Tennessee comes here to have their floats made primarily?

-I don't know if they do or not.

-You think maybe most of these [crosstalk]-- -Now Mitzi may have over the years.

-I don't think she's doing [crosstalk]-- I think she would only do just specific ones for people from Humboldt now.

I don't know whether she'll go back to doing that after this year because she'll complete her reign as President.

-Miss Dyer County Volunteer, Lily Grace Haynes.

Yes, because there's just not very many people that do that.

I guess it's like some kind of craft.

You have to pass it down through the years to the family or something.

-Right.

-That's a pretty good sized float coming up.

Oh, look at the little cowboys.

-Trenton's Best of the Wild Wild West.

[laughs] Cute.

Best of the Wild Wild West.

Several crowns there.

That was from Teapot, it looks like.

Teapot Festival.

-Okay, kid.

-We've got a little trumpeteer over here.

-Yes, right here behind us.

-I thought it was a real trumpet.

It's one of those plastic things.

Nice saddle on the back.

Let's see who this is.

Yes, the Trenton Pageant.

Miss Trenton Pageant in memory of Daryl Dorsett.

Green Allen Farms, Mark Gibson Trade Scholarship, Samantha Patterson.

Many thanks to them.

-Some more balloons.

-Balloons on a golf cart.

Very pretty.

There's another dance group.

Bubba Angels.

A dance group from Jackson.

Now here comes some more of the angels, it looks like.

-Yes, behind the ones that are dancing.

-This is a large group.

-It is.

-The larger girls in the front, and then the little girls are in the back.

-Oh, I see.

It's two different groups.

-Probably two different classes or-- because these are all pretty good sized girls here.

They're all dancing.

The wind's picking up.

Hang on to our papers here.

Some of these little ones are really moving.

Cute dance group in Jackson.

Okay, Denver Air Connection.

This is the new-- at the Jackson Airport.

-Yes, doing a lot of great things.

-Denver Air Connection.

Miss West Tennessee Spring, Jamiah Estes, and Miss West Tennessee-- I'm sorry, they're going fast now.

Miss Tennessee Iris Catherine West.

-She's from Crockett [crosstalk]-- -Iris T. -She's from Crockett County.

I know her.

-She is, yes.

-Still have several.

-Another Miss Shimmer.

We've seen several of those.

-I don't know where the Shimmer Pageant is.

-Shimmer Princess.

-Mylon Box Company.

I think, I know what happens when you think, I think I see the mass band at the top of the hill at the far end.

-Yes, sir.

-They'll be the finale of the parade.

-I see them [crosstalk]-- -Not far behind.

-I see them.

North Parkway Lady Panthers Dance Team.

The reason I recognize them is because they carry the banners of all of the high schools, and I see multiple banners back there.

I think they carry the banners of all the high schools that are in the mass band.

-They're going all across this street.

We're going to have to move some folks.

I guess they'll see them coming and [crosstalk]-- -I think they'll come down with the policemen and clear it ahead of them.

This is Privet's Wrecker Service.

Now, this is Mitzi Privet, who is the president, is married into the Privet family.

They have a wrecker service out of Gibson.

They have all sizes of the wreckers.

They can handle the big rigs and the little cars.

-He's not waving.

[laughs] His mom's trying to get his hand to wave, he's like, not doing that.

There's another one.

I think that must be one for the big rig.

-That is a large vehicle.

-It's hard to imagine [?]

size.

-This next one coming in too.

They're huge.

They're the ones you see on the interstate when a trailer truck has had an accident.

There's another one.

There's several trucks from Privet's Wrecker Service.

-I think one more float, that's just about going to do it.

-Two or three- -There's another truck behind the [?]

-- -couple of cars, couple of vehicles.

-Ms. Tennessee- -Berry Best.

-Berry Best.

-Russom's Towing and Heavy Recovery from Dyersburg and Rutherford.

All right, this is John-- Following them is John Rose who's going to run for governor.

John Rose.

I believe they're getting ready to clear the sides of the streets because the mass band is approaching.

-On the way.

-It is so many, it is from curb to curb.

It fills the street, and it is absolutely breath-taking.

-Ms. Springtime Queen, Patsy Bennett, and Ms. Springtime Queen, Aria Estes.

-Ms.

Historic Teen, Junior Teen, Cassie Jo McNeil.

Cassie Jo McNeil won the pageant last night, the second pageant.

That's how she entered, but next year she'll be riding on one of the festival floats.

All right, here comes the mass band, everyone.

-Well, it has been so much fun.

-It has, and the mass band, y'all, is a combination of Humboldt, Trenton, Milan, Gibson County, and South Gibson and Medina.

-Now, honestly, I usually have to ride through and go back to work.

Now, is this something new that they've started at the mass band?

-They did it about 15 years ago, every 5 years.

-Okay, so they [crosstalk]-- -No, it's not every year.

-I don't remember even hearing about it.

-Two years ago, they were in the Tournament of Roses parade in California, -the mass band.

-All of them?

-Yes.

-Oh my gosh.

-The mass band was in the Tournament of Roses parade.

They raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in order to get the band and truck the equipment to California.

-They have to drive, or did they fly and take the [crosstalk]-- -All the kids flew, and then parents.

It was-- -Wow.

-Here they come.

-Experience of a lifetime.

This is Gibson County High School Pioneers, Humboldt High School, Milan High School band.

-Peabody, and South Gibson.

South Gibson's over-- there it is on the other side.

-Suddenly got real hot in here.

-All right, it's amazing.

[marching band music] [cheering] [applause] [marching band music] [cheering] [applause] [marching band music] [cheering] [applause] [marching band music] -Wow.

-I don't know what you want me to say.

-I really have no words.

Absolutely fantastic.

The Gibson County Mass Band.

-I'm telling you what-- -That was five high schools in Gibson County all together, probably 300 strong,- -Yes.

-did you say?

Yes, and it seemed like we were sitting right in the middle of it because everywhere, as far as I could see to left or right, there was band members playing.

-All the drum majors, all the flag girls, all of the instruments, everything all together.

-Degree drum major.

-They practiced for weeks at their own schools.

Then, they came together Saturday, practiced at the high school in the different instrument sections, put it all together.

They practiced and came down Main Street Saturday afternoon, and that was actually the first time.

This has been going on for several years, and every five years, they come and participate.

-It is absolutely [crosstalk]-- -Couldn't remember [crosstalk] that I'd seen that before, but that is breathtaking.

It really was, and definitely worth the wait.

It has been a long parade, and we have had such a great time.

I'm Julie Cooke.

Be sure to remember, you can watch this per.. and the entire parade and the parades of the season, the Fish Fry and the Teapot, the Iris Festival, on PBS on Channel 11.

You can download that app, that PBS app.

You can go to westtnpbs.com.

It has been a pleasure.

-Betty Langley [crosstalk]-- -It has .. -She's been around a few years, but this is my very first Strawberry Festival.

-The weather has been perfect.

-It has been.

-Just perfect.

The crowds are moving now, and just enjoy the rest ..

Thank you for being at the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival.

-Thanks, everybody.

-Well, did you enjoy the show?

This is Peter Noel again, General Manager and CEO of West Tennessee PBS in Humboldt, home of the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival.

Channel 11 has been bringing this program to your TVs for decades, and we're proud to do so.

We're now streaming it too.

You can watch it on demand on the PBS app, our YouTube channel, and we can only do it with your support.

Many of you have already made a donation to Channel 11, but if you haven't, we need it now more than ever.

Go to westtnpbs.org and click on the Donate tab.

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Thank you.

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