(upbeat music) - [Narrator] Now West Tennessee PBS, WLJT Channel 11, in partnership with the Humboldt Chamber of Commerce, proudly present the 85th Annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Grand Floats Parade.

Sponsorship for this year's festival in Grand Floats Parade, provided in part by... - [Announcer] BR Supply is proud to be a sponsor of the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival with 12 locations throughout West Tennessee, including our Humboldt location on Easton Drive.

It's BR Supply for plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, and more.

- [Announcer] Parham Heating, Cooling, and Electric are proud to be a sponsor of the 85th Annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival, Tennessee's largest and longest running festival since 1934.

Just like the Strawberry Festival, Parham Heating, Cooling, and Electric cover all of northWest Tennessee.

(sirens wailing) - From Main Street on downtown Humboldt, Tennessee, it is the 85th Annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival and it is a delight to be with you once again on WLJT.

A Masterpiece of Fun is our theme this year.

I'm Steve Beverly, joined by former general chairman and president of this entire extravaganza, Betty Langley.

Betty, it's great to be with you.

- Thank you so much.

It's just an honor to be here and I'm so excited that we're working with WLJT and PBS this year.

- Well, the thing that you're going to see, bands, floats, queens, everything possible, and sirens.

You would not, Betty, have a parade that didn't start out with law enforcement and all of the sirens.

(sirens wailing) - [Betty] I think it's a great salute to our law enforcement, highway patrol, city and county law enforcement.

Couldn't do it without 'em.

- [Steve] And I look across the way, some of the smaller children have their ears covered up because it's a shock to the system.

But we do, in particular, every year at the start of this parade, we honor to have in our presence, law enforcement, first responders, people who are there to protect and to serve.

We've got everybody from the Tennessee Trooper Police, the Humboldt Police, Fire Department, they're all here as this parade launches for the 85th time and look across the way.

How about that?

(sirens wailing) - [Betty] Humboldt Fire Department, the Rescue Squad.

They're out here in force.

We're just so blessed to have them.

(sirens wailing) - [Steve] And as we do, of course, we're talking over the sirens right now, as is our policy and has been for so many years, when the bands come by on Main Street right in front of our reviewing area, we will pause and step away so that you folks at home can get to hear your respective bands.

And we know there are a lot of parents, grandparents, relatives that love to hear the bands because they've got a special person in there.

- [Betty] Absolutely.

Absolutely.

Here's our County Sheriff, Danny Lewis.

He's the chief's deputy.

Paul Thomas.

He's the Gibson County Sheriff.

Bernard Buchanan, Humboldt City police chief.

- [Steve] And as they pass in review, we can certainly know that you at home are looking at these great throngs of crowds that have been on this street for decades with the exception of an interruption during World War II and during that Covid year, the legendary Covid year as Gibson County Sheriff goes by, this has been a tradition as Jim Nance would say, a tradition like no other.

- Like none.

Absolutely.

- [Steve] And this is what West Tennessee is all about, Betty, is having people who in a town like Humboldt and the population that it has, they said we're as big as any city in Tennessee on this particular week and this week, May 7th through 13th.

- Absolutely.

The entire festival is put on by volunteers, by volunteers and a large group of sponsors.

I think they're 91 different sponsors from the title sponsor all the way down to the friends of the festival.

They're 91 different sponsors that help put this on.

- This is the kind of information that you get from somebody who has run the show before and Betty knows this stuff and today we're going to be showcasing so many different queens and different others that have been part of this festival all week long.

It's not just the Grand Floats Parade.

Things have been going on here for about six days now.

- [Betty] Yes, we started on Sunday with the art show.

We had a tea party for little girls.

Then on Monday, it kicked off with the opening on Monday night.

The US Navy Fleet Band performed.

Then we had Tuesday night was the Berry Idol, which is an event that was added last year, new.

Wednesday, the rain came in just a little Wednesday, but they were able to get in the concert on Wednesday night for a short time.

And yesterday was the Junior Floats Parade.

Had a good crowd for that.

The weather was great.

And now we're to the best of it all.

- The Grand Floats Parade.

- The Grand Floats Parade.

Absolutely.

- [Steve] And the flag and the opening banner, and you can see the scouts as they are passing by in front of us and welcoming all of you to the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival parade.

And we'll be with you for probably about the next hour and a half thereabouts, as so many of the bands come our way.

And you have so many things with the berry theme, as we say, a masterpiece of fun.

And outta curiosity, and here we go with our first cart that comes along with the strawberries.

Betty, how did they determine a theme for each year's parade?

- [Betty] The president and the general chairman work together.

Usually it's kind of the idea from the president as to what the theme would be that you carry through the entire week.

- [Steve] And here is our Grand Marshall of the parade is coming up right after you see these young folks and that is TG Shepherd.

- [Betty] Absolutely.

He's our Grand Marshall.

- And I'm gonna tell you what, a music legend and to have TG as part of this, this is a real treat today and I know it means a lot to the people here in Humboldt and throughout West Tennessee.

Well- - Bringing him back, allowing him the honor, bringing him back to his hometown.

- [Steve] And one of the things that we'll mention to you is that when all this is over, you can actually go online and see the entire thing all over again.

And that is you can go to the website, westtnpbs.org, or you can go online to the WLJT website and you can watch it on-demand.

Well, right here is the official float to start the Grand Floats Parade from BR Supply, built on reputation.

And this is always fun to see who is going to be the very first one in the parade.

- [Betty] Of course, the berry is on this first float.

The Grand Floats Parade is presented.

They are our title sponsor, BR Supply.

They have offices and businesses in 10 or 11 different towns in West Tennessee.

- [Steve] And here you go.

This is a real treat for these young people who appear on these floats because the key thing about it is with digital recording today, it's preserved forever.

They'll show their children or their grandchildren or when they get to later years, they may get a little embarrassed about what they look like then, but it's amazing.

- [Betty] Oh, my sons tell me all the time, how could you have cut my hair like that?

(Steve laughing) How could you have made me wear that?

I'm like, you looked normal then.

(laughs) - [Steve] Well that's a welcoming float tonight.

- [Betty] That's it.

- [Steve] And it is so great to have so many people participating in this parade because it is a community effort.

It's a regional effort, Betty.

- Absolutely.

- [Steve] Because you've got people not just in Humboldt but from all over West Tennessee.

- [Betty] That's why it's called the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival 'cause they come from Mississippi River to Tennessee River, border to border.

It covers all over West Tennessee.

- [Steve] And see how colorful it is with all the balloons and people dressed out in their very best, as you'll probably see that happen on a float here and there.

You may hear in the background, here they come, the Humboldt High School Marching Band and they're one of a number that we have here today and once they get right in front of our microphones, we're gonna back away and let you hear them completely.

- [Betty] They are the host band for the festival.

(band music) - [Steve] We are on Main Street in downtown Humboldt, Tennessee, where this parade is a legend.

The whole festival is a legend throughout the state of Tennessee and of course, this is a place where most years, the governor comes for a luncheon that is held after the parade is over with and all the dignitaries.

But let's back away and let you hear the Humboldt High School marching band.

(band music) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) - Introduce the Humboldt Marching Band!

(audience cheering) (band music) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band members indistinctly cheering, singing) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (audience cheering) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) - [Steve] There is the director of the Humboldt High Band.

And we got canine friends who join us here!

But Joel Beard, salute him as the director of the Humboldt High Band.

(band music) Then we move along the parade route after we've had that great rousing opening.

(band music) (audience cheering) And of course, we have some of our terrific folks who are serving in the military that always make this a highlight in our parade.

As we say, everybody from people in the Army, you got the US Fleet Services Band that's to come here during the course of the afternoon.

They've been here this week in a concert.

(band music) - [Betty] I'm not sure what type of vehicle this is.

- [Steve] I'm sure there is a name for it, Betty, but it is beyond me at this stage of the game.

- [Betty] I think it looks like an armored vehicle.

- [Steve] It is tactical.

- [Betty] Yes, it is.

(band music) (audience cheering) - [Steve] And here you come with some of our fire department folks and these, again, are the people that they are called on to serve us in times of danger.

- [Betty] This is an antique Humboldt Fire Department firetruck.

(band music) - [Steve] When you're a kid, you get to ride on one of these things.

That is huge.

- Yeah.

- [Steve] But we certainly offer our thanks and also our salute to the Humboldt Fire Department for the job these people do.

(bell rings) - [Betty] And these kids that ride on these floats and cars, golf carts, they remember this the rest of their lives.

- [Steve] And if they don't, their moms and dads will make sure they remember.

(laughs) - [Betty] Remind them.

- [Steve] They pull out the recording of it later on in years and show it in front of other family members.

Say, why aren't you doing that?

(laughing) - [Betty] I know.

Hey, I've heard that several times from my boys.

- [Steve] Oh come on, Betty, you know you've never heard that before.

(laughing) - [Betty] I did.

Why did you dress me like that?

Why did you cut my hair like that?

- [Steve] Yes, yeah, when it goes back about 20 or 30 years and you see the different styles, now you got again some of the, look how festive this cart is.

- [Betty] This is the cart.

It's driven by some of the Jones family, but this is the cart and the honoree is Judy Bowers.

(siren wailing) These are some...

This is one of her grandchildren driving and his wife and Judy's in the next vehicle.

- [Steve] And usually these are people who have huge community service on their resume.

- [Betty] She's been involved in the festival for years and years and years.

She's been very active in the community.

And this is some of their family.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] We may not have sunshine but the rain has stayed away.

- Absolutely.

- [Steve] We have a blessed day for this.

- [Betty] Hey, there's Mrs. Judy.

- [Steve] Something tells me that Judy and you have had conversations before.

- [Betty] Yes, there she is in the back seat.

She's been involved in the festival for many, many years.

Mrs. Judy Bowers.

- [Steve] And we got some more folks who are part of the festival's Hall of Fame that are right behind them.

- [Betty] We have several individuals that are being inducted into the Hall of Fame.

This is one of them.

Coach Junior Reid!

(audience cheering) - [Steve] Now Betty, where can people go to actually see the complete roster of people who are in the Hall of Fame?

- [Betty] They're posted at the hospital.

- [Steve] Hmm hmm.

- [Betty] There's pictures at the hospital today.

Yesterday afternoon, they had the Hall of Fame induction.

We had four individuals, Junior Reid was one of them.

- [Steve] And Shane Lynch is coming up now.

Our West Tennessee Strawberry Festival President.

- [Betty] That's right.

Shane, his wife, Libby, their daughter and their son.

- [Steve] And Betty, tell us about our general chairman this year.

- [Betty] General Chairman, Ann Short, her two girls, her husband Doug, and Ann will step up, Shane after the festival, after they kind of close up all the books, Shane will roll off.

Ann will step up to be president and she will select a general chairman to come in and follow her.

- It's a line of succession.

- It sure is.

- [Steve] You get a year to learn and then you move on up.

And here we have our good folks from the Humboldt Chamber of Commerce.

- [Betty] That's Amanda Love, Beth Culpepper.

Amanda is Chamber director.

Beth Culpepper is the event coordinator and then Mandy Hobson is the administrative assistant.

They work out of the Chamber office.

They're the stability for the festival.

When you have individuals running it that roll up and off every year, they're the same.

- [Steve] You don't have anybody that comes in cold.

They've had an opportunity to see how it works year to year.

- [Betty] Oh my goodness.

- [Steve] Look who we have here... - [Betty] We have the Clydesdales.

Aren't they beautiful?

- Oh my goodness.

I remember seeing them the first time in a parade in Columbus, Georgia back in 1959.

Don't do the math on that for my age.

(laughing) But I remember seeing them for the first time and they turn up at different festivals all over the country and the kids absolutely love them.

- [Betty] They are beautiful.

They are beautiful.

- And to be honest with you, our WLJT general manager Peter Noll was actually gonna ride one of these but he changed his mind before the parade started.

- [Betty] Aren't they beautiful?

(audience cheering) - Oh my goodness.

The kids, but let me tell you, an adult is a kid again on a day like this.

- [Betty] And that dog that sits up there on top of that wagon is the... - So stoic.

- He is so cute.

- Yes.

- He just sits.

Just as prim and proper.

- So well-trained.

- [Betty] And then the guys that follow to clean up after the horses.

- There you go.

(laughs) You gotta have some good shovels for that.

- [Betty] Yeah, you do.

You do, they have to clean up.

- [Steve] And here is Sheriff Julian Wiser.

- From Madison County.

- Madison County.

Yeah, there's Julian's driving here today.

- [Betty] Now we're getting into the dignitaries.

- [Steve] State representative Chris Todd who is one of the three primary West Tennessee representatives that include the Jackson area.

And Chris may be somewhere hidden in the back of that Jeep.

That's true, you know?

He could either be in the Jeep or a lot of times they'll get out and they will glad-hand in the crowd.

And I see some bubbles that are coming down the street and that's always our director Daryl Connor reminding me to tell everybody to watch "The Lawrence Welk Show" on WLJT.

- [Betty] Is that his favorite show?

- [Steve] It's Daryl's favorite show, has been for years.

(audience chattering) (item pops) Shh.

(laughs) - [Betty] I tell ya, this is Bradley Owen, Gibson County General Sessions Judge.

Bradley does a lot in Gibson County other than be a judge.

He is a real philanthropist.

He's a great guy.

- [Steve] That is the key thing is so much of this parade reflects on the community service that we have here in Humboldt and throughout West Tennessee.

And we've got our chancellor coming right behind.

- [Betty] That's right, Michael Mansfield.

- [Steve] You know, the families, oftentimes, they join in and ride in these cars and the various vehicles that we have.

(audience chattering) - [Betty] Just have to bear with us.

We have a long string of vehicles with all of the county state dignitaries.

- [Steve] Looking down the way, I think it has something to do with about a half block down the street.

I'm looking, you folks at home can't see this right now, but I think they are holding the Clydesdales up for just a moment for the folks.

Oh, about a half block away.

Main Street in Humboldt, Tennessee, becomes a show place on a day like this.

It is just so huge.

And I go back to when I did my first parade on channel 11 back in 1992 and seeing not just the kids but the parents who are kids again on the day of a parade.

- [Betty] Absolutely.

I know, my boys built floats for several years.

They were on floats and then as their kids grew up, they built floats for their kids.

- [Steve] And you can learn all about the history of the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival, how it all started, how it's grown to be the state's largest and longest running parade.

Watch "A Sweet History."

It's a very special West Tennessee PBS show that is streaming now on the PBS app.

If you haven't done it already, download it.

- [Betty] It is wonderful.

It's about 30 minutes and it is about the history of the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival.

Here's Brock Martin, representative.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] And Brock sees a lot of familiar faces along the way.

- [Betty] Dr. Phillip Cavalier, who is the interim president at UT Martin, took over when Keith Carver left and went back to Knoxville.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] And our circuit court judge, Clayburn Peeples.

He has stepped out of the vehicle and he's walking.

- [Betty] He and his beautiful wife.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] Judge Peeples is another one of the legends of West Tennessee.

- He absolutely is.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] And Representative Chris Hunt.

Of course, the legislative session is over, but there's still some work to be done during the course of this year.

(audience chattering) Got so many.

Sometimes, I've been told, Betty, that sometimes there's some in the neighborhood of 80 to a hundred different vehicles that are in this parade.

(audience chattering) - [Betty] It's a pretty blue vehicle.

- [Steve] And agricultural commissioner, Charlie Hatcher.

I love all the contemporary but as well, as the classic cars.

- Yes.

- [Steve] That appear in this parade.

(audience chattering) - [Betty] Barbara Davidson.

She's our register of deeds in Gibson County.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] And just all along Main Street, any other day you got people traveling along here and shopping at the various businesses that you have on Main Street.

This is an economic center for the community, but it is truly, this is a day of just celebration.

- [Betty] Absolutely.

Absolutely.

There's a lot of reunions.

This is the weekend that a lot of school classes have reunions.

I know the class of '73 has a big reunion this weekend having their 50th.

So it's a opportunity for friends and family to come back together and have a good time to celebrate.

- [Steve] Walter Butter, the president of Bethel University, our good friends up in Mackenzie.

- [Betty] Here's Marvin Sykes who's mayor of Humboldt.

- [Steve] And Marvin is in his strawberry pink coat today.

- [Betty] He is, and his green shirt.

He looks like a large strawberry.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] And Gibson County Mayor, Nelson Cunningham.

It was also good to see today the mayor of Mackenzie, one of the youngest mayors we have in this area, Ryan Griffin, a former student of mine who just passed our way before the parade began.

And the Gibson County clerk.

(audience chattering) - [Betty] Miss Joyce Brown.

- [Steve] The job that county clerks have of maintaining all the paperwork that we have that is so important legally in our community.

It's huge.

- Absolutely.

- [Steve] And their staffs.

We take our hats off to all of them.

- [Betty] Melissa Workman, she's the Gibson County trustee.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] I'll tell you, she's getting a lot of exercise waving to the crowd here this afternoon.

(audience chattering) - [Betty] She's the one you pay your taxes to.

(laughs) - [Steve] Yeah, you gotta be nice to Melissa, to be sure.

(laughs) - Gotta pay your taxes to her.

- [Steve] Everything's taken care of.

And representative Johnny Shaw, our good friend from down near the Bolivar area, who represents so many places in West Tennessee.

- [Betty] Hey, Mr. Johnny.

- [Steve] Johnny, a minister as well as he's been a broadcaster for many years and just such a delight.

Here's another of your Hall of Fame cars.

- [Betty] Right.

This is Jan Delozier.

Jan Stallings Delozier.

(audience chattering) She was inducted into the Hall of Fame yesterday.

- [Steve] That has to be just such a huge thrill to be in that elite group and to have that opportunity, the people to remember for years to come, what has happened.

Now here is one of the newest national queens, national pageants that's held in Jackson now every year.

And this is Alexa Knutzen.

She is Miss Volunteer America.

- Absolutely.

Beautiful.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] And Miss Tennessee Volunteer, Paige Clark.

(audience chattering) - [Betty] She has a strawberry quilt on her car.

- [Steve] And this is one of, as we say, this has been one of the newer events.

- [Betty] Emily Anne Sparks is driving that car.

She's from Union City and she and her parents are instrumental in the Volunteer Tennessee program.

- [Steve] And here's Miss Iris, Tennessee Teen, Townsend Blackwell.

(audience chattering) And the parade route is picking up quite a bit.

Here's Senator John Stevens joining us today.

(audience chattering) - [Betty] Looks like that pretty well ends the long string of dignitaries.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] Well, as we go down the road on Main Street, let's take a break.

You are watching the 85th West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Grand Parade right here on WLJT Channel 11 in West Tennessee.

(upbeat music) - Hello, this is West Tennessee PBS's General Manager and CEO, Peter Noll.

West Tennessee PBS Channel 11 is only able to be here because of donations from our viewers.

You, at home!

We are a commercial-free TV station.

We're a 501(c)(3)(9) nonprofit and we're a licensed community TV station and we rely on your donations to bring you local programs like the Grand Floats Parade from the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival.

Make a donation today.

Just go to westtnpbs.org and click on the donate tab in the upper right corner.

It takes just a few minutes but it means a lot to Channel 11.

Thank you.

- [Narrator] You're watching a West Tennessee PBS WLJT Channel 11 special production in partnership with the Humboldt Chamber of Commerce of the 85th Annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Grand Floats Parade.

Sponsorship for this year's festival and Grand Floats Parade provided in part by... - Parham Heating, Cooling and Electric are proud to be a sponsor of the 85th Annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival, Tennessee's largest and longest running festival since 1934.

Just like the Strawberry Festival, Parham Heating, Cooling and Electric cover all of northWest Tennessee.

- [Announcer] BR Supply is proud to be a sponsor of the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival with 12 locations throughout West Tennessee, including our Humboldt location on Easton Drive.

It's BR Supply for plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling and more.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] Now let's take a look at our Territorial queens here for this festival.

And Betty, this is always huge because these young women, they go in a respective group of ages here.

- [Betty] They do.

This is...

I'm looking to see.

This is the Territorial Queen.

This young lady will give up her crown tomorrow night at the pageant on Saturday night.

These girls are ages 16 through 21, I believe.

They represent the towns all over West Tennessee from border to border, Tennessee River to Mississippi River.

- Kylie Baggett is the queen.

And I think one of the joys of this one this year is because of the fact that our temperature is somewhere in the upper sixties and so they're not freezing nor are they in a situation where they are having to deal with humidity today.

It is just perfect.

- And they're not wet.

(laughs) - No!

They like that better than anything else.

- They're not wet.

(Steve laughs) Absolutely.

- It's a joy to come your way every year with the parade.

And I'm Steve Beverly along with Betty Langley and throughout the years, Humboldt, Tennessee has just been a show place here in this very special May weekend, actually a full week in May.

And for us, the real joy on WLJT is to be back bringing you all of the highlights and all of the color and pagentry of this event.

- The festival week is always the first full calendar week of May.

Since May 1st was on a Monday, then the festival was not until started on the seventh because it's the first full calendar week of May every year.

- [Steve] Well, let's go back to the parade and you're going to see our Hostess Princess Royal.

- [Betty] The Hostess Princess is Katie Alexander.

These girls are local.

They're out of the civil district that encompasses Humboldt.

So they can be in any of the schools, high schools in the civil district that encompasses Humboldt where the Territorial Royalties are from all over West Tennessee.

These are local girls.

- [Steve] Betty, the thing about this is that it takes so much time and really precision to build these floats.

- It sure does.

- [Steve] I think people don't understand what goes in to literally putting a float together.

(audience chattering) - [Betty] These floats... Takes hours and hours, lots of time and lots of expense to build these floats.

- [Steve] Yeah, it's very costly today.

A lot more so than it once was.

- [Betty] Absolutely.

- [Steve] Of course, building materials are more expensive but it is really a, it's a chore to get these together and my hat is off to those who make these so beautiful in this parade.

- [Betty] This is the Junior Miss Territorial, Farrah McDurmon is the Queen.

Juliet Joyner, Kinsley Wilson, Casey Joe McNeil and McKayla Murphy.

- [Steve] You did all of those names so perfectly.

- [Betty] Well, a lot of these girls were in the smaller Royalties when I was president, two, three years ago so I recognized the names.

- [Steve] I remember one parade previously that I did when Rosemary Caraway was the chairman and she was the first former queen who became chairman of the parade.

- [Betty] Correct, that is correct.

(audience chattering) This is the little Miss Territorial Royalty.

Again, when it says Territorial, that means they're from all over West Tennessee.

(audience chattering) (band music) Avery Emerson, Sutton Jasermi, Grace Ann Copley, Bree Barker and Kinsley Hopkins, the Little Miss Territorial Royalty.

- [Steve] Lovely young ladies all and yet another one coming in.

This is our Junior Hostess Princess Royalty.

- [Betty] That's the younger girls from the local area.

These girls, when it's Hostess, Junior Hostess or Hostess Princess, those are the girls from the civil district that encompasses Humboldt and the surrounding areas.

- [Steve] And you notice, they pass on our monitor right before us, I see that big, big vendor for funnel cakes.

That is a distinctive aroma that you have.

- It is.

- At the festival every year.

- [Betty] The Junior Hostess Royalty, Princess Royalty, Collins Prince, Stella Sanford, Hattie McLemore, Bexley Laster and Lola Kate Reeves.

- [Steve] There's one reason I let Betty do all these names 'cause she knows them and she can rifle them off very quickly.

- [Betty] I'm trying, I'm trying.

And this is... (band music) Last, Miss Teen Territorial, Katherine West, Ava Neighbors, Matty Moore, Abby Smith and Ella Kate Haynes.

Now we have the US Fleet Service Band.

- [Steve] And you are hearing the Jazziest version that you ever have of "Anchors Away."

Let's listen to them.

(band music) (audience cheering) They've been here this week performing in concert.

- [Betty] They played at the opening on Monday night.

They played at the President's Reception on Wednesday night.

They've been at all of the schools in Humboldt.

They've played at the VA Nursing Home, so they've been pretty busy.

- [Steve] That is one place that I want to mention very quickly and that is the Veteran's home here in in Humboldt.

- Absolutely.

- [Steve] My mother was there for the final two years of her life and I cannot begin to tell you how much I appreciate the people in that facility.

They are gems.

- [Betty] These are Steve's Custom Carts.

All of these golf carts.

Steve Harden and his wife Holly down here on the corner of 152 and the bypass, Steve Custom Carts.

- [Steve] Well, he'll make 'em to order for you.

- [Betty] He will and he has.

I'm telling you, he has a lot of carts down there.

Fancy carts, too.

(horn honks) - [Steve] And here's our good friends from the Humboldt Utilities Division.

And again, when we have storm damage in this area, they're the folks who are there and they are there hour after hour after hour.

- [Betty] I'm telling you, we could not do it without the Humboldt Utility Department.

(horns honking) - [Steve] And our folks who are here from News Talk 101.5 in Jackson as well as one of our newer stations, La Poderosa, 105.3.

- [Betty] Glad to have them.

Let me mention something about Humboldt Utilities.

We couldn't put on a festival without the Humboldt Utilities.

Not only do they put up our flags, put up all the signs, take care of every electrical hookup that has to be done, they also have to keep the city of Humboldt running.

There have been years in the years passed when a water leak would occur right in the middle of the parade.

They have to go and tend to utility issues and help keep the parade going at the same time.

So they are just so valuable.

- [Steve] These are the folks from the church at Sugar Creek and they're telling you about Vacation Bible School that starts June 5th and runs through the ninth.

And I love to see all of these young people who are here for Christian Witness when they are here in the parade.

And this is a beautifully designed float that also has the berry theme to it.

(audience chattering) (kids clapping) And now, you talk about the reunions, Betty.

- Yep.

- Here we go.

The Humboldt Vikings class of '73.

- [Betty] Absolutely, this is their 50th reunion.

Look at him riding a scooter, how cute.

(audience chattering) Class of 73.

- [Steve] I'm not gonna tell you what age I was back in 1973.

(laughs) - Me either.

- [Steve] And here they come with a truck that has got the 1973 directed in front and so many of this wonderful class enjoying 50 years celebration.

Don't you know, there have been so many stories told and so many exaggerations during the course of this reunion week.

- [Betty] This festival is just a perfect opportunity, a perfect opportunity to have reunions because it gives them something to come back for.

- [Steve] What a centerpiece right here with the festival to have your class reunion.

- [Betty] Absolutely.

- [Steve] Our friends from Cadence Bank and they serve everyone throughout West Tennessee and we're so delighted to have them in this parade.

(audience chattering) - [Betty] Cadence Bank.

- [Steve] Well, more of these kids that are gonna, they'll remember this for ages and here comes our good friends from Sports Plus in Humboldt.

I'm gonna take a crack at this.

Jeff Lansdale, Olivia Church, Jesse Gideon, Kelly Smith, Mary Campbell, Kayelin Lester and Eda Armstrong.

- [Betty] Absolutely.

- [Steve] And probably a few more that we didn't have names.

(audience chattering) But they are so happy to be part of this parade today.

We're happy to have them.

And here is my good friend Rex West with the Mayberry Squad car and he's got, it's Barney driving and he's got Thelma Lou.

That's actually his wife... (Sheriff indistinctly speaking on speaker) Rex and Teresa West.

Rex retired from Lambeth University.

Teresa retired from Union University and he goes all over West Tennessee.

I ride in that with him during the Jackson Christmas parade.

- [Betty] That is so much fun.

- [Steve] Everybody loves the Mayberry Squad car.

- [Betty] And that's one of my favorite programs ever.

- [Steve] Ever.

- [Betty] This is the class of '63.

- [Steve] Now here they go, 60 years of history.

- That's right.

(audience chattering) Class of '63.

- [Steve] Man, you think about how many presidents we go back to in 1960.

Now this is what I love.

After you see this group come by, wait till you see what we have here.

People in their motorized recliners coming down the street.

- [Betty] They're called Blues Krewzers.

They're in their motorized recliners.

Is that not... That is so cute.

- [Steve] I'm getting to the point that I think I'd like to do that myself.

- [Betty] Absolutely.

- [Steve] Of course, bow we got a guy here in the back that he looks like he's way too young for this.

(laughs) - [Betty] He's even got his lamp.

- [Steve] Yeah, I mean, if it was nighttime, he could read.

- [Betty] He's got his lamp.

- [Steve] That is classic.

- [Betty] All right, we have America's Majestic Miss National Junior Princess, Annie Matlock.

- [Steve] And she is one of these lovely young ladies that I know her family is so proud.

And here you go with another one of our area queens.

This is Miss Gibson County Weather Fest, Jolie Morgan.

(audience cheering) - [Betty] A beautiful young lady.

(audience cheering) - [Steve] Right here at our downtown reviewing stand on Main Street in Humboldt, Tennessee.

(audience chattering, cheering) Parades are really for kids.

And here is a perfect example of one right here.

- [Betty] This is called Rooting Tooting Friends, and this is Presbyterian Day School.

All these kids attend the PDS, Presbyterian Day School and all the parents are following.

- [Steve] That's what I'm saying, look at all the parents.

But that's huge that they're here for the support for these kids.

And we've got a few canine friends who are marching along with them, one who decided they didn't want to have a lease, so he's getting carted along here.

You can see over in the left hand corner of your screen.

There we go, right there.

- [Betty] How cute.

- [Steve] And another one that's carried, getting carted along in a... - [Betty] When my youngest granddaughter rode in the parade, she was so tiny, she was in a car seat in the back of the float hidden down under the berry.

- [Steve] Our good friends from CashMaster proud to be a part of the Strawberry Festival.

A berry easy way to get the cash you need.

(audience chattering) - [Betty] Miss Madison County Preteen, Kylie Perry and Brinley Wright.

- [Steve] And look at that Barbie Jeep.

I won't tell you, but I actually remember seeing the first Barbie commercial many, many, many, many years ago.

- [Betty] Later on in my life, one of my biggest regrets was giving my first cousin, little girl, my original Barbie, and now I wish I had it back.

- [Steve] (laughs) Well, these good friends who handle heating, cooling and electric for so many people, they're throwing out, they're making it good for the crowd.

They're throwing out a lot of great candy.

- [Betty] Parham Heating, Cooling and Air.

- [Steve] And here's one that we've seen before here on WLJT and that is the Trenton Teapot Festival Float and their queens.

Another outstanding spring event that we have in West Tennessee.

So many of our smaller communities that become the biggest cities in Tennessee on the day they have their festivals.

- [Betty] Those little towns go from eight, 10,000 people to 50, 60, 70, 80,000 people.

- Exponentially growing.

- They do.

- [Steve] And here's the folks from Vanderbilt University's Medical Center and their LifeFlight.

And I can tell you, my mother needed them about two years ago and they were a godsend.

They are just wonderful, wonderful people.

- [Betty] When I was part of the Gibson County Adult Leadership class, a couple years ago, we toured different medical places.

We went to the airport out here and went through the LifeFlight facility and they talked to us about their program and it was very, very interesting.

- Well, they're great people and here's a great young lady, Miss Heart of Troy, Lily Moore.

And look at this young man in his big berry outfit.

So many people who come together and help develop the theme for this event.

Well, as we look back through these 85 years of history of this parade, Betty, as you and I have talked about, it takes a huge number of people to put this on.

You don't just show up the day before and say we're going to do this.

Approximately how many people, if you got a ballpark figure that come together to make this all happen?

- I think there are about 45 committees and each of those committees could be one or two people or could be 10 or 15 people, but you can figure based on that.

And then we have the 91 sponsors.

It's just hundreds and hundreds of people, some of 'em, nobody ever sees.

It's all behind the scenes.

But they have to get it done in order for this to happen.

- [Steve] Somebody has to do those jobs- - [Betty] Absolutely.

- To make a festival like this occur.

And that's one of the things I think is so valuable about having almost as if it is passing on from one generation to the next, but at least one year, two years, three years, that you've got people who have seen what happens with the people who are the leaders and then they move into that leadership role.

- We're getting into the point now where people my age, their children are stepping up and taking leadership roles so that, and we need to get the younger people involved because that's how it's happened for 85 years.

- That's the future of the festival.

- Absolutely.

Absolutely.

- Well, Steve Beverly and Betty Langley, bringing you the coverage of WLJT's...

I can say live coverage because we are live online of the 85th Annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Grand Floats Parade.

And it has been, without sunshine, it's been perfect because we have not had heat, we have not had freezing weather, a little bit of a breeze, but it is just right.

And coming right before us now, one of the all-time greats in West Tennessee and that is the Trenton Peabody High School Band of Gold and they have made a joyful noise in this parade for countless years.

- [Betty] And I'm sure they'll walk a little further since the judges, band judges are right here to our left.

Then they stop and they perform.

- [Steve] That's one thing to remind everybody is the bands are being judged and they receive a trophy for outstanding performances.

(whistle blowing) Here we go!

Let's listen!

(audience chattering) (band music) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (audience cheering) And how about that?

The Trenton Peabody Band of Gold, "Pentatonics 145."

James Young, the director of the band.

And I can tell you for many, many years, I have thrilled to the sound of this band, whether they're doing a parade or in a football game.

Let's listen to 'em as they go away from us.

(band music) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (audience cheering) (band music) To play "Name That Tune," when as a familiar one and that's "Can't Buy Me Love," the Beatles hit.

- [Betty] That is, "Can't Buy Me Love."

(band music) All right, this is Miss Black Gibson County coming up.

- [Steve] And that is Faith Cox and her court.

- [Betty] Kirsten Shepherd, McKayla Williams, Mindy Pettigrew and Jamiah Estes.

- [Steve] And our friends from Stuart Finance.

I tell you what I like about this is that they have money on this vehicle.

- [Betty] They have it taped all over the car.

- [Steve] I'm not gonna reach over there and rip one off.

- [Betty] Well, look at here.

- [Steve] Here we are.

- [Betty] Western CPBS.

- [Steve] Oh, what a wonderful time to remind you about the many things that PBS does for you in West Tennessee and you've got a terrific thing.

Reading Ranger and the driver is Jennifer Medford and we are so happy to be a part of this parade as we are every year.

- [Betty] This is the kid group from Kids Land.

- [Steve] And they've got their beautiful blue shirts.

You know, I think we may actually have a just touch of sunshine trying to break through the clouds right now.

- [Betty] It is right.

It lightened up just a little.

(audience chattering) The director and founder of Kids Land is Blake Moore.

Tracy Blake Moore Claybrook, assistant director Cheryl Blake Moore.

Josie Blake Moore, co-founder.

Kids Land has been in Humboldt for quite a few years.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] Having so many positive things for kids in our community.

(audience chattering) And here we have Josie Witherspoon and she is Junior Miss South Gibson County Middle School over in Medina.

And that is, there was a time, I never thought Medina would be what it is today, but it is just a continuously growing place.

- [Betty] Gibson County Tennessee Republican Party has a vehicle here.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] And this is a huge celebration every year.

But for Gibson County in particular.

- Oh my goodness, yes.

- The 200th year.

October 21st will actually be the bicentennial anniversary and this is how they're sharing in the parades, celebrating today.

What a rich history- - On October the 21st, they're gonna have a big celebration.

I'm getting ready to lose my papers again.

- [Steve] It's like Union University and its bicentennial year this year that so many great activities have occurred.

- [Betty] Here's a group from Birth Choice.

- [Steve] And my good friend Brent Lambert who is the director of Birth Choice and of course, Tiffany Dawson, who is their information director.

And I just think the world of what this job is and what they do throughout West Tennessee and they provide pregnancy testing, the ultrasound, you've got the mobile truck for that and the mobile bus and it is giving an option for life for so many young women here.

- [Betty] I love the saying on the doors, "Save the storks."

- Save the storks.

- How cute.

- [Steve] Always done confidentially and I just, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate what Birth Choice does in our West Tennessee area.

- There's a Birth Choice office in Trenton over on the other side of town on the bypass as you go out toward Dyer.

(audience chattering) - And let's take a break and when we come back, we've got more of this 85th Annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Parade right here on WLJT Channel 11.

- Hello, this is West Tennessee PBS's General Manager and CEO, Peter Noll.

And I'm with the thousands of other people at this year's Grand Floats Parade at the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival in Humboldt.

Did you know that West Tennessee PBS Channel 11 is a nonprofit TV station?

We don't air any commercials.

Not one.

As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we rely on you.

That's right, our viewers to make donations to the station.

When you give, you make it possible for us to be here at the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival, at other festivals and to bring you these local programs that really celebrate our communities.

We're at the Grand Floats Parade, but we've also been at the Paris World's Biggest Fish Fry Grand Parade.

We've been at the Trenton Teapot Festival Parade, the Dresden Iris Festival Parade, and we rely on your donations to bring you local programs like the Grand Floats Parade from the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival.

Make a donation today.

Just go to westtnpbs.org and click on the donate tab in the upper right corner.

It takes just a few minutes, but it means a lot to Channel 11.

Thank you.

- [Narrator] You're watching a West Tennessee PBS WLJT Channel 11 special production in partnership with the Humboldt Chamber of Commerce of the 85th Annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Grand Floats Parade.

Sponsorship for this year's festival and Grand Floats Parade provided in part by... - [Announcer] BR Supply is proud to be a sponsor of the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival with 12 locations throughout West Tennessee, including our Humboldt location on Easton Drive.

It's BR Supply for plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling and more.

- [Announcer] Parham Heating, Cooling and Electric are proud to be a sponsor of the 85th Annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival, Tennessee's largest and longest running festival since 1934.

Just like the Strawberry Festival, Parham Heating, Cooling and Electric cover all of northWest Tennessee.

(upbeat music) - [Betty] This is the Madison County Democratic Party.

- [Steve] This is the, they call themselves the Mad Women of West Tennessee.

(audience cheering) And there's my friend over here, Debbie Swaker, just a great group of people there.

And of course, we've had people from both parties that are part of this and this is the Gibson County Democratic Group.

(soul music) (audience chattering) Everybody being politically active and we encourage you when election time is here, we still have another mayoral runoff in Jackson, Tennessee.

Please go vote.

That is so important for you to participate in the process regardless of who you support.

Get out and vote because you have no reason to complain.

- If you don't vote.

- If you don't.

- [Betty] Absolutely.

- [Steve] Most counties in West Tennessee, this is an off year for elections, but in Jackson, they do the mayor and city council in the odd years.

And so that is where we will be having a runoff there in June for the Office of Mayor.

(audience chattering) And our friends from the Humboldt Chronicle.

And this one says, "Nobody covers the Strawberry Festival like the Humboldt Chronicle."

And I can tell you.

- They sure do.

- [Steve] That is one of the great weekly papers in all of West Tennessee.

- [Betty] They did a great job with the tab this time that came out last week.

It was a huge section just about the festival.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] And we've got another queen here.

This is Miss Junior WCES.

(audience chattering) And I think her name is Chloe Foster, if I read that correctly.

And she's got all of her court with her.

(audience chattering) - [Betty] Junior Miss West Carroll Elementary School.

That's what that was.

- [Steve] And our friends from the American Legion Post 287.

And we, again, salute all of our veterans throughout West Tennessee for all of the service that they have given us.

- They sure have.

Robinson Toyota.

- [Steve] And this is another business that is approaching 30 years of service in West Tennessee.

- [Betty] They've got several vehicles as you go down the line, here's a couple of 'em.

- [Steve] Boy, now there's a young one who will not forget this one.

(Betty laughs) - [Betty] Robinson Toyota established in 1996.

Older vehicles.

- [Steve] And somebody taking the jog to get back in there.

(laughing) Ah, she's gotta reach in there and throw out some stuff- - Candy.

- To the folks.

- [Steve] Well, it could be, you could say, if you said it was a true Chamber of Commerce day, we'd be baked in sunshine, but you couldn't ask for a better day as far as comfort is concerned here.

- [Betty] No!

- [Steve] Because we got temperatures that are right about 69 degrees right now and the overcast is keeping us from baking.

It is really, I think a perfect day because we had actually 24 hours ago, we had forecasts of thunderstorms.

- We did.

- At parade time.

And it has just stayed away from us.

I'm gonna knock on, I don't have any wood right here, but I'm gonna knock on something just to say let's keep it that way.

- Absolutely.

- It is a joy for us to be with you right here on WLJT as it is every year for the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Parade.

I'm Steve Beverly along with Betty Langley.

And Betty, in all the years that you've been part of this, but particularly when you were both president and general chairman of this event, what's the biggest challenge in getting all of this together?

- [Betty] During my term as president, of course, we had to cancel the festival.

- [Steve] Because of Covid, yeah.

- [Betty] And that was the hardest thing I've ever done.

The only other time it was canceled was during World War II and we canceled it in 2020.

And so I actually was involved three years rather than two years.

- [Steve] You hate to push that button, but it was for the safety of everybody.

- [Betty] I mean we had to.

We had to.

Didn't want to, but we had to.

- [Steve] Kids are the very best part of the future.

And that is, again... - [Betty] That's Little People's Daycare, Little People's Jumpstart, Miss Flossie's Academy of Development.

- [Steve] And again, parents who are marching right behind.

- That's right.

- And supporting them.

- [Betty] Here comes the Tennessee Veterans Home.

You've mentioned them a while ago.

- [Steve] My good friends from over there, so many of the nurses, the people who are on the support staff that, as I mentioned, my mother was there during her final 18 months and we could not have asked for better care for her.

I'm telling you a personal story from that because of the fact that they just from the admission to the care that she had on a daily basis and they truly love the residents there.

- Yeah, they do.

- At the veteran's home.

They really do.

And when somebody passes away, it's emotional for them.

- [Betty] Yes.

Well, they're family.

- [Steve] And I can tell you there are few things that are ever as emotional as watching when you have someone who has left us and they bring them down the hall and every single member of the staff and the veterans who are still there, they pause and have their hands over their hearts as that person is taken out from the home.

It is just, again, I cannot begin to tell you how much they all mean to me personally.

- [Betty] Such a special place.

- [Steve] And Humboldt is so very, very fortunate to have this available to veterans and their spouses.

(audience chattering) Well, here we go.

We got a queen from over in Arkansas, Miss Arkansas Volunteer, this is Riley Green.

- [Betty] Wow.

No distance is too far to travel.

- [Steve] No, we've had people from neighboring states who have been part of this parade in the past.

And a truck representing Congressman David Kustoff.

I don't know if he's, whether he's driving or whether he's actually in that truck right now.

(audience chattering) And again, Main Street lights up with so many young ladies and here are some from all over the state who are competing to be part of Miss Tennessee Volunteer and a chance to go on to Miss Volunteer America.

- [Betty] These are girls all over the state.

- That contest is held at the Carl Perkins Civic Center in Jackson and has been really, has just carried on a tradition that started with the Miss Tennessee pageant and it just went right on through with the Miss Tennessee Volunteer.

And here is Shila Finesse.

She is Miss N-73 Red Carpet.

- [Betty] That young lady was in one of the younger courts when I was festival president.

She sure was.

- [Steve] And Miss West Tennessee Cotton Festival, Becca Butler.

(audience chattering) These young ladies learn that wave that you have some, some of them do it side to side and then some of them do it where it looks like you're cranking something but they master that.

- [Betty] All right, here is an F-150 Lightning.

This is the electric vehicle sponsored by the Blue Oval.

- [Steve] Yeah, Blue Oval is here and it is going to change the face of West Tennessee.

And here is marching down, you'll see her in just a minute, my good friend, Mallory Cook, who is the public information, she's in the green right there.

She's the public information director for Blue Oval and former WBBJ reporter and she also was the information director for the health department that led us through the Covid era.

She was a wonderful person.

- [Betty] Vanessa Preston is with Blue Oval.

She was originally with Tyson here in Humboldt and she is the human resources person with Blue Oval.

- [Steve] The investment they are making today is going to pay huge dividends for the future for so many West Tennessee communities.

- [Betty] That young lady was Miss Lauderdale.

- [Steve] And here we have the distinctive dancerettes and they are from Jackson.

And I think they're gonna perform for us right now.

We'll wait and see what they do when they get right in front of us.

They are energetic to say the least.

(laughs) - [Betty] And limber!

- [Steve] I never could do what they're doing right now, but I definitely could not do it today.

(band music) - [Betty] Lots of young ladies in their green and animal prints.

- There are about 50 of them.

- Yes.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] I'm afraid that I might have to have treatment if I do what some of the those are doing today.

As you say, limber is the word for it.

- [Betty] Whoo!

- [Steve] And they get their exercise along this parade.

There they go again.

Look at 'em!

- [Betty] Goodness.

- [Steve] They get their exercise on this parade route and they get the crowd into it as well.

- [Betty] They sure do.

- [Steve] Now here's our friends, 92.3, the Hog, West Tennessee's Classic Rock.

- [Betty] And Froggy 104.

- [Steve] They're following right behind.

You'll see 'em momentarily.

(audience chattering) And some of their personalities here is the folks from Froggy.

- [Betty] 92.3.

Another vehicle, 97.7.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] That's where you can hear the Steve Harvey Show every day.

Steve Harvey, I think is inexhaustible.

I mean, he does Family Feud, he has other shows on the networks and then he does radio every day.

I don't know how he does it all.

As a TV talk show.

- He does.

- I just don't know it.

(audience chattering) And our dancerettes are...

They're doing so much performance, that's why things have slowed up just a bit.

But here's our good friends from also 97.7.

Jammin' Jackson.

(audience chattering) And here's a reminder from some friends of ours that I had the great joy of doing their parade last year on television.

West Tennessee Veterans Parade in downtown Jackson, which once again, will be there on Veterans Day, November the 11th at 11:00 AM.

(audience chattering) (band music) Now that is our good friend in that truck.

Yeah, I got a couple of good friends in that truck there.

- [Betty] Sponsored by the West Tennessee Veterans Coalition.

- [Steve] And they do such a fabulous job of remembering, honoring year round, our veterans in West Tennessee.

And that parade, I will tell you this though, the parade last year was in probably the coldest conditions that I have ever done a parade, but we survived it.

- [Betty] This big truck is Tennessee College of Applied Technology, the TCAT.

(truck horn honks) Classes are taught in this building behind us.

- [Steve] That's right, which at one time was Humboldt Elementary School and is now where TCAT and.

- [Betty and Steve] Jackson State.

- [Steve] Have their satellite campus here in Humboldt.

And that is huge.

You can see the crowd that is gathered.

A lot of them got here about eight o'clock, if not earlier this morning to get their place.

And I have a feeling there are some of these families that probably, this has been their place for many, many years as they join in reviewing all of this parade and the joy that comes from it.

Betty, this is one of those things that when the parade's over with, you go home and you tell everybody about it, and what all you saw.

- Absolutely.

Absolutely.

It's just amazing.

About Sunday or Monday of this week, maybe even over the weekend they started, people started roping off their places to sit.

Oh, we have a visitor.

- [Steve] We've got somebody.

I think you know right here, Shane Lynch, who is the president of the festival this year.

Shane, it's good to have you here.

- [Shane] Glad to be here.

- [Steve] Well, Betty did this before you and as we've talked about passing down the baton from one to another, what's it like to see all this come together on a day like today?

- It is truly amazing.

- It is.

- And it all takes place because of our volunteers.

- Absolutely.

- Who work extremely hard all week and all year at that.

- [Steve] While Shane is with us, we're gonna continue to tell you about these various floats.

And this is Kenley Wilson, who is another one of our queens.

And I just always marvel.

I have been affiliated with in broadcasting, doing parades all the way back to 1976.

And I just marvel to see all of it finally unfold on the day it happens.

I know there's a lot of people who just think, you just show up and do this.

It doesn't happen that way.

- [Shane] It does not.

It takes a lot of work and a lot of effort.

- [Steve] What has been particularly the most rewarding thing for you as the chair of this event?

- [Shane] Just making memories, being able to see family and friends and we show off our city and just the beauty of the Strawberry Festival.

- [Steve] Here's Gracie's Babies and they're reading around Berry Town.

- [Betty] It's Gracie's Baby Daycare.

- [Steve] You see all these, you know, parades are really for children because they love it but I think it gives the parents a chance to be kids again.

- [Shane] We're all kids at heart.

(Betty laughs) - [Steve] And on a day like today, we're blessed that the rain has stayed away.

- No liquid sunshine.

- No.

No.

And the temperature's just right.

Nobody is roasting today.

- No, it's perfect.

It is a parade day for sure.

- [Steve] Who we got here?

- [Betty] This Miss Rocky Top, Braley Harden, Miss Rocky Top honey.

She's a little girl.

- [Steve] Yeah, she's got that, it's almost a polka dotted berries that she has today.

- [Betty] She is tiny.

(band music) (audience chattering) - [Steve] And coming up here is Forever in our Hearts.

This is a tribute to Archie Ann Cox who passed away in the last year and people who are remembering her.

- [Shane] Miss Archie was our senior citizens director here in Humboldt.

- For quite a few years.

She sure was.

- [Steve] You know, this is an opportunity, Shane, for a town like Humboldt to become for a week, one of the biggest towns in Tennessee.

- [Shane] That, we are.

(band music) - [Steve] And Betty, another queen we've got here.

- [Betty] Miss Crockett County High School, Paige Hilton.

And a member of her court.

(band music) - [Steve] And you're hearing some music right behind them that we're gonna back off and let you hear.

And it is a group that is known as the Marching Bobcat Band and they are from Bellevue Middle School.

So why don't we back off and let you hear them.

(band music) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) Aquita Murray Jones is the director of this group and we've got Shane Lynch, the general chairman for this event, And Shane- (band music) I'll wait till the percussion gets out the way.

(band music) That's the kind of thing that you feel your insides jarring when.

(laughing) - You know they're here.

- Yeah.

Shane, when do you actually pass the baton to your successor?

- [Shane] It'll be passed at the chamber banquet in the fall.

- Okay.

And do we know who that's going to be yet?

- [Shane] Yes, my general chairman was Anne Short and Anne will move into the position of president and then she'll pick a general chairman to follow her.

- [Betty] This is the Bailey Park Community Living Center.

Berry best pick of the patch.

- [Steve] And they are happy to be there too.

- [Betty] Look at the residents riding from the Community Living Center.

- [Steve] Here's another place, charter senior living of Jackson that I thank so much of the people there.

That's where my mother was for seven years in Jackson.

And she just made so many friends there and was treated so well by so many of the staff at Charter Senior Living, formerly known under a different name, but it's carrying on in the tradition of the past.

Who's this, Betty?

- Miss Queen City.

Iris Princess, Tiffany Wilson.

She's waving with both hands.

- [Steve] Boy, she is a cutie.

- [Betty] Waving with both hands.

- This is our Shriners.

- Al Chymia Shriners.

- [Shane] They call these cars back here, hillbilly cars.

- They sure are.

(Steve laughing) That's where the bubbles are coming from.

- [Shane] That's where the bubbles are coming from.

I've told 'em, I think "The Lawrence Welk Show" is back here.

(laughs) - [Betty] I don't think this is Lawrence Welk.

- [Steve] No, I'm not sure that Lawrence would've said, "Thank you boys and the girls."

And now, Norma Simmer and Jimmy Roberts with memories.

(laughs) (banjo music) Now, how about this?

(banjo music) (Betty laughs) (car horn honking) - [Betty] Al Chymia Shriners.

- [Steve] Sometimes there are no words to describe a float in a parade, and this is one of them.

- You're exactly right.

- Jo Jo the clown.

(horn honking) (audience chattering) Look at this.

- [Shane] The clown there is Harley, is his name.

(horn honking) - [Steve] Now is he a Shriner himself?

- [Shane] He is a Shriner himself.

- [Steve] See, he's got so much makeup on, I can't tell what age he is.

(laughs) - [Betty] Raccoon County, city of Possum Hollow.

- [Steve] (laughing) Possum Hollow.

- [Betty] I just thought I'd throw that in.

(horn honking) (audience chattering) These are all... (horn honking) - [Steve] And we are also grateful for the work that Shrine Hospitals do- - Absolutely.

- Around our nation.

- Yes, sir.

- [Steve] And for all the money that is raised for that through Shrine Organizations.

- [Shane] This is Miss Possum Trot on the back of the car here.

- Miss Possum Trot.

Oh, Danny Milam riding in that car from Humboldt.

He's a Shriner.

- Yep.

- You wouldn't have a parade if you didn't have the Shriners in it.

- You would not.

- Well, Steve Beverly here with Shane Lynch and Betty Langley, and in fact we got a new camera operator.

You can't see him right now, but he is over here trying to take over camera.

There he is.

He's trying to take over camera operation.

(laughs) I'll tell you, these young people that are part of this, and we've talked about this morning, Shane, that so many of them, this is gonna be a memory that's gonna be digitized for years to come.

Junior Miss Bradford, Lily Kate Aiken.

(audience chattering) - [Betty] This is Junior Petite Gibson County Fair.

Adeline Hilliard.

- She's the sweetie.

- She's a tiny little thing.

- [Steve] Boy, I think she may be the smallest one we've seen yet.

- And look at her.

(laughs) - [Steve] But she's got the wave down.

She does.

- She does.

(Betty laughing) - [Steve] Shane, now when you finish, Betty, tell us who this is we've got coming up here.

- [Betty] All right, this is Miss Mardi Gras, Aniston Perry.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] Shane, when do you begin after this is all over, when the festival ends tomorrow, when that's all over with, when do you begin preparing for next year?

- You get Sunday off and you start on Monday.

(Steve laughs) - You absolutely do.

- I knew that was the answer that was coming.

- You absolutely do.

You've gotta close up, you've gotta kind of close up everything.

Get everything back where it belongs.

So many of the things are used year to year, and you've gotta get everything stored and put up and that takes a while.

But then once that's done, you start talking about what worked, what didn't work?

What do we need to ditch?

What do we need to add?

- [Shane] Monday morning after the parade after we finished last year, on Monday morning, I was on the phone to the Clydesdales, to TG Shepherd and to the Navy Band.

- [Steve] Boy, to get TG in here, to be the Grand Marshall.

That's something else for this community.

- [Shane] He's our hometown boy.

We're proud of him.

- [Steve] Well and that shows, he didn't forget his roots.

- [Shane] Oh, no, no, he's glad to be here.

- [Steve] He's willing to come back.

- [Shane] Matter of fact, we're gonna name a street after him today.

- [Betty] We just saw Miss Dresden, Miss Junior Dresden and Little Miss Dresden in their courts on that float that passed.

- [Steve] And right here, right before you is Obion's County's Teen Miss Fall Fest.

And that is Becky Burleson.

No, it's Zoey Burleson.

- Zoey.

Zoey.

- [Steve] That's the script on here, that when you get vision like mine, you have to strain a little bit more to get it right.

- I understand completely.

- A little fancy script.

- There you go.

- Oh my.

- [Steve] Nicely done, too.

- [Shane] This is the Humboldt Area Rescue Squad with their hearse, I guess you would call it, to not drink and drive.

- [Steve] Well, and I again, want to say we can't think enough, our first responders in this area for what they do at a time of life and death and crisis.

They're there.

And they are the ones who we count on when we are in that situation.

And so we take our hats off again to them.

So Shane, if you start the whole process again on Monday when this is all over with, when does the real heavy lifting start to begin to get the feel of what you're gonna do the next year?

- [Shane] Well, I guess in the fall, we meet every Thursday to discuss and plan and get vendors and get sponsors and all those things happen real quick.

And we work at it throughout the year.

It is really a year long planning session.

- [Betty] Okay, this is Maggie Thompson, Miss Bluegrass Grass.

- [Steve] And there's one thing I will tell you for you and Betty and all of those who have done this through the years, and this is the 22nd time I have anchored this parade coverage.

- [Shane] You have you been here for all 85?

- [Steve] Nah, well, there is somebody named Wink Martindale who said something like that to me one time.

He said, how old are you?

And at the time I said, I'm 55.

He said, really?

You don't look at the over 82.

(all laughing) Now here's one right here, Brooklyn Ivy.

- [Betty] We were talking about Doodle Soup.

- [Steve] Miss Doodle Soup.

I judged the Doodle Soup Festival, the actual cooking of that back in 1990, the first year I was in Jackson and I have never forgotten.

(Steve and Shane laughing) There's the wife of representative Tandy Derby, his wife was a great basketball player at Union University.

And her grandmother was, she absolutely would do anything in the world for me.

And so every year at the end of basketball season, she would bring me a big, big tub of Doodle Soup.

So I have remembered that tradition for many, many years.

But good folks over in Bradford.

- Yes, sir.

- We thank the world of them.

- [Betty] Okay, this is a berry sweet time to have a ball with Bluey and Bingo.

- Bluey and Bingo!

- Bluey and Bingo!

- [Steve] Now here you go, also Blind Hole Tournament.

Now, some people are gonna be seeing this after this is over with, but that's going to be as we are doing this live tonight.

- [Shane] Tonight, registration starts at six and the bags fly at seven.

- [Steve] I think next year we ought to get WLJT to cover the Corn Hole tournament live.

And I'll come back and do play by play for that.

- [Betty] Tomorrow is the auto show at Viking Park.

- [Shane] We got a car show as well as a tractor show.

- [Betty] Tractor show, right?

- [Steve] Yeah, sor those of you who are watching us live, there's a lot of events to come before this is all history.

(band music) (audience chattering) - [Betty] Miss West Tennessee, Tara Townsend, and Miss Sweetheart, Emma Waycaster.

Pretty girls.

- Yes, they are.

And again, as we say, not having to bake in the sun today, it is just- - It's a blessing.

- As ideal as it could.

- The sun's coming out.

- Yeah, I sense it right now.

- [Betty] Oh my.

- [Shane] Steve, you think we could do that?

- [Steve] They're not on our monitor yet, but when they get here.

- Oh my.

- [Steve] I'm gonna see if Shane can go out there and join 'em and see if he can do the same choreography with them.

(laughing) - [Shane] I need about six months of practice.

- [Steve] Six months is all?

I need about a year.

- [Shane] Well, now, that's just to walk out there.

- [Betty] And some Ibuprofen.

(laughs) - [Steve] Ibuprofen!

(laughing) - [Betty] Miss Winter Wonderland, Chloe Patterson.

(audience chattering) (band music) And I think this is.

- Now here they are.

- Yes.

- Here they come.

- This is the float.

Let me see if I can find the name of it.

Without Dance, What's the Pointe?

P-O-I-N-T-E. - [Steve] I think that is the dance probably as accurate a description is what we're seeing here.

- [Betty] Look at this.

How about flexible?

- Yeah.

When I see them, they're not just doing the flips.

They are doing it horizontally and vertically.

- [Betty] Look at them.

- [Steve] And some of 'em at the same time.

(laughs) - [Shane] It's amazing.

- [Betty] Look at them.

- [Steve] Boy, here's another great one right here.

- [Betty] Yeah, this is the, Without Dance, What's the Pointe.

- Yep.

- This is.

- [Steve] They tap and ballet and they... - [Betty] Yep.

- [Steve] And you think about now with all of our digital cell phones, how people have instant memories of all of this.

- [Betty] It's Bonnie's School of Dance here in Humboldt.

She's been here for a long time, has helped a large group of young ladies and guys learn to appreciate the art of dance.

- Now Shane, if somebody wants to enter a float or if somebody wants to have a car in this parade, how do they go about doing that?

- They can go through our website, which is strawberryfestivaltn.com and all the information is there.

The forms, registration forms are all available.

You just print those out and send them in by email or mail and everything's there.

- We have an app.

- You got an app now?

- [Betty] Everything is on the app.

- [Steve] I'm impressed, that is a fancy app.

- [Betty] Daily events, carnival, parades, concert, everything and registration is all on there.

- [Steve] Natalie Cruz, who is Miss South Gibson County High School.

- [Betty] She is.

- [Steve] Sheila Fry, Ashlyn Bell, Jenna Buck, and Chloe Rimmer.

I gotta 'em in.

- Way to go.

- [Shane] You did good.

- [Betty] Ada Rogers is Miss Union City.

Look at that hat.

- Beautiful red hat.

- [Betty] Yeah, she must have been to the Derby.

- [Shane] She even got some strawberries with it.

- [Steve] And just as the sun comes out.

- [Betty] Oh my goodness.

- [Steve] And here you go, Miss West Tennessee Tulip, Kristen Henning.

Uh oh, Marquita Hunt Winston.

And her daughter is the queen.

That's her baby.

Yeah, I can tell you.

I can get away and say that, she was one of my students and one of the great union basketball players.

She would always lose her... She would lose her...

I'll think about it later.

(laughs) This is a group from out of state, from Osceola, Arkansas, the Marching Seminole Band.

So let's listen to them.

- [Betty] Led by Dr. Lamario Bell, purple, black and white.

(band music) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (audience cheering) (band music) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) - [Steve] I will mention to you that Marquita Hunt Winston, that we talked about a minute ago, she used to deliberately lose her contact lenses during a union basketball game just so she could get more camera time.

- [Betty] Miss Huntington, Chloe Grace Mitchell.

(audience chattering) (band music) - [Steve] And another one of our fine industries, Milan Box Corporation, that shares in our parade.

(band music) (audience chattering) - Miss Music of the Night, Abby Walton.

And Miss West Carroll, Sidney Bosley.

I tell you what, if you've got a convertible during this first week of May, it can be used.

- [Steve] It's gonna be used somewhere.

- [Betty] Yeah, that's right.

- [Shane] I think there's only three in West Tennessee that aren't here today.

- Probably.

- [Steve] (laughs) You're probably right on that.

- [Shane] And that's because they were blue.

(Shane and Steve laughing) - [Steve] No non-red convertibles on this one.

- [Betty] Next truck is sponsored by Arrow Athletics.

- [Steve] And they got cheerleaders and a gymnast on board here.

(audience chattering) (band music) Ah, what a glorious day in Humboldt, Tennessee and I remember the first one of these I did on television back in 1993.

And there's something that's traditional, but there are unique things about each parade.

Memories that are made by so many of the people who are part of this.

Now I look over here just to our right, well, you can't see it on our camera now, but somebody's even got a sign saying "The Martin family, a strawberry tradition."

And I guess that's because they sit in the same place every year to watch the parade.

(laughs) - [Betty] Earlier in the week, they roped off that little section there and stuck their sign in the ground.

This is the Girl Scouts, heart of the troop, heart of the South, excuse me.

Look at some of 'em dressed alike.

- [Shane] My favorite, Girl Scouts cookies.

- Girl Scout cookies.

- Girl Scout cookies, yeah.

- [Betty] Thin mints.

Thin mints.

Cute.

A group of Girl Scouts.

- [Steve] And our friends from DartsCarts.

- [Betty] DartsCarts from Jackson.

(upbeat music) - [Steve] Well this parade, we've been at it for a little more than an hour and a half.

And it is just a joy.

Miss West Tennessee.

It's so good to see her as part of this.

(audience chattering) - [Betty] This is the Miss Iris Festival Hostess Princess, Ashley Malin, her maid, Kylie Boyd, second maid, Aniston Perry, third maid, Elise Stafford.

- [Steve] And of course, you can see highlights of all of the West Tennessee festival parades that have been held this spring.

And you can do that by going online and you can see it on-demand.

Go to the PBS app on your smart TV on Roku, your phone or your tablet, and you can find all of Channel 11's programs there.

But West Tennessee PBS is airing a special festival spectacular show highlighting all the festivals and the parades.

So go to westtnpbs.org for all the air dates and times.

- [Betty] I think they said that the first airing of this festival will be tomorrow night at 8:00 PM.

- [Steve] For those of you watching us live, that's exactly what it is.

- [Betty] Tomorrow night at 8:00 PM, you can see the festival in full on pbs.org.

- [Steve] That's one of the great things about streaming is that we're able to bring it to you live, not just on tape delay, but for those of you who have been here watching it live in person, you can go back and see it on tape delay tomorrow night at eight o'clock.

(band music) (audience chattering) Well, we got a yellow one that got in here, Shane.

- [Shane] It had to be an accident.

(Steve laughs) - Miss Valentine.

Zoianne Moorefields.

- [Shane] But her dress is a shade of red.

- Yes.

- Yes.

- [Shane] That counts, that makes all the difference.

- [Betty] Affordable Moving and Storage.

Have a big moving truck.

- [Steve] And here we go.

It says, "Thanks for a berry great year."

(audience chattering) - [Shane] And it has been a very great year.

- [Betty] Yes, it has.

- [Steve] And it doesn't matter when it is, you just look for it and there will be something great about it.

- [Shane] Exactly.

- [Steve] Our friends from East Elementary School.

- [Betty] Right, they're here in Humboldt.

Dynamic Physical Therapy.

- [Steve] Now I can tell you, you can tell some of these people here, they have been getting physically fit.

There are some muscles on these people.

And they're great trainers.

- [Betty] Dynamics physical therapy.

- [Steve] Tell you what, if you have an injury, you go to them and they'll make sure you're okay in short order.

Even if you don't, even if you grunt and groan while they are pulling and tugging at your muscles, they're gonna get you back in shape.

- [Shane] Steve, did you order a pizza?

- [Steve] No, but I wish I did.

- [Shane] Well, I think there's a pizza delivery here.

- (laughs) Here coming up shortly, right in this way.

Yeah, it's like what happens sometimes, of course, I've done Union University basketball for close to 30 years and there have been some nights that they literally would just throw boxes out to the crowd.

(Shane and Steve laughing) I'm not sure that's gonna happen today.

But these are our good friends here in our area from Domino's Pizza.

And here you go, electric delivery.

- [Shane] Electric delivery.

- [Betty] West Tennessee's Speech, Hearing and Speech Center.

They have a cart.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] And here they are.

(audience chattering) So many of our businesses take part in this and it's really a showcase for them to be part of our community.

And here we got Trendsetters Hair Studio with Skyler Shepherd, the owner and stylist.

And Natasha McLean, also a stylist.

I don't have to worry about going there myself, Shane.

That one, my barber told me, he said, I'm glad that I don't have to worry about you anymore for a living because I'd have gone bankrupt.

(laughs) - This is Blue Oval.

Another vehicle with Blue Oval City with Ford.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] They are changing the face of West Tennessee and will continue to be with that.

- Miss Vanessa Preston.

- Yes, they are.

- [Steve] With that electric vehicle service center.

(band music) (audience chattering) And here in this beautiful Camaro, another of our many queens that we've had here throughout the- - [Betty] That's Miss Springtime, Katie Hawkins.

(person whistling) - [Steve] Was she any kin to Sadie Hawkins?

- [Betty] I don't know, could be her sister.

- [Steve] That's one of the old ones from Little Abner, I think it was.

- That's right.

- [Steve] The Sadie Hawkins Day.

Well, we got another big band that is coming our way and well-known to so many people in our community.

And you see them right there before you.

The Gibson County High School Pioneers Marching Band.

And they're gonna perform for you momentarily.

We'll wait just a minute till they get right in front of us and let you hear them completely.

They've been part of this so many, many, many years and it's been generational to see how many Gibson County high school bands have been here and have taken part in this.

And we're hearing the percussion as they come down.

And these young ladies who are.

(band music) Let's listen to 'em now.

(band music) (band music continues) (audience cheering) (band music) (band music continues) (audience cheering) (band music) (band music continues) (band music continues) (audience cheering) (band music) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) Joseph Agee is the director of the Gibson County Marching Pioneers.

And Shane and I have been playing, I can name that tune in three notes, two notes, one note, and then Betty came up with the answer.

- [Betty] That's right.

- [Steve] I get by with a little help from my friends.

And Shane, you said you got by this entire year in your role- - [Shane and Steve] With a lot of help from your friends.

- [Betty] President and the general chairman, you call on everybody.

- Everybody.

- [Betty] This is Miss Dyer County Junior Auxiliary Sweetheart, Claire Irwin.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] Now we got some more Lawrence Welk bubbles here.

Except I got a feeling that the ones who are writing this have no idea who Lawrence Welk is.

- Never heard of him.

- Never heard of him.

- [Shane] Were for forced to watch him on Sunday night with their grandparents.

- [Steve] Yeah, they continue to say that with it being on public TV.

- [Betty] This is Carl Perkins.

There's no place like a safe home.

- I tell you what.

- This is Carl Perkins Center.

- [Steve] Pam Nash and all the satellite centers that we have and the marvelous job that they do.

- [Betty] There's Beth Jewel.

She's head of the Gibson County Center.

- [Steve] In fighting child abuse.

- [Betty] And I'm on the Gibson County board.

- [Steve] Bless you for doing that too.

- [Betty] Yeah, have been for years.

- [Steve] Our friends from Humboldt Nutrition.

And we just had a couple of bubbles pass our way right here.

- [Betty] That's right.

Here come the bubbles.

- And Flex Loans.

- Cash Express.

- [Steve] What a colorful float.

Beautiful balloons on this one.

And you got majorettes from Jackson, Tennessee, dancing down Berry Land.

(audience chattering) (float members talking) And having a conversation with us as they come down the...

But this is where so many of these young ladies learn performing arts.

(audience chattering) Yeah, for both of you, do you ever have an estimate about how many people actually ride and march in this parade every year?

- A whole lot.

(laughs) - That was a good answer.

- What do you call it, when they do... - When we do the phone hits and those type things?

- Yes.

- And can come up with a number?

- Yeah, it's got a name where they do the micro and they can estimate how many were here based on geo tracking.

- [Shane] Geo tracking.

- Something like that.

- Something like that.

- [Betty] Yeah.

And they make estimates of tens of thousands.

- [Steve] Have you heard about Trenton's Beauties?

Well here they are right here.

- Aww.

- On TikTok.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] And the parents.

That's what I love is when you have the floats where these kids are on is you've got so many of the parents marching behind supporting them and that has to be huge.

It's a great shared experience.

- [Betty] It's also to make sure they don't jump off the float too.

- [Steve] Exactly.

- [Betty] When they're little bitty, you gotta like, okay, you gotta stay on there to the other end.

- [Shane] Their concentration goes away.

- [Steve] Here's Maggie's Majorettes.

And the part that the banner says, the last part, Shane, that you and I would have trouble with, flexibility.

- Yes.

(Steve laughs) - [Steve] Our director Daryl Connor has no problems with flexibility.

He's the most flexible guy I know.

(upbeat music) (audience chattering) And they're over here doing a routine for the folks in our reviewing stand.

- [Betty] And this is a skill that's not taught much anymore.

- No.

- Because a lot of, even the college bands don't have majorettes much anymore.

I know the pride of the Southland does.

- Of course.

- They sure do.

- My sister was a majorette.

- Yeah.

- [Betty] Used to be really, really big.

And then it just kind of went by the wayside.

- [Steve] It's more drill teams than it is tossing the baton.

(upbeat music) Well, I can remember back when I was in high school and our majorette in Waycross, Georgia, was this national team majorette.

And she could throw one that it seemed like it was going to go up into the ionosphere and catch it.

She didn't do it with fire though.

- [Betty] Well, these young ladies, like a lot of other things, you can get college scholarships.

- Exactly.

- Yep.

- [Betty] Now with band, color guard, majorettes.

- Golf.

- Golf, cheerleading.

I mean... - It's a premium now.

- It's really expanded.

(upbeat music) - [Shane] My nephew is the archery coach at Bethel and they're always looking for good archerists.

- [Steve] Yeah, because that's an art that not everybody has the talent.

- The trap shooting.

- Trap shooting.

- Trap shooting.

- Cornhole may eventually be.

- Cornhole scholarships.

(Betty laughs) - [Shane] Maybe we could get that into the list.

- I'm for it.

- If we can do curling, we oughta be able to do cornhole.

- [Steve] Oh, I could get you on curling with that one.

- Scraping ice.

- Scraping ice, yep.

- [Betty] Where they scrape the ice in front of it.

This is Katie Bateman, Preteen Miss Gibson County.

- [Steve] And look at that.

It's a red- - It's a red Thunderbird, man.

- [Betty] Anna Morris, Tri-star Teen.

- [Steve] She's from over in the Iris Festival.

- [Betty] Pretty.

- [Steve] I tell you these young ladies, they're so much poised when they're here.

- [Betty] It's Evelyn Cantrell, Miss GCHS.

- [Steve] Yeah, Miss Gibson County High School.

Our good folks from Dyer are always.

- [Betty] - Evelyn's a good basketball player, too.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] And more of our kids that we have that.

- [Shane] Is that an all day sucker on that float?

- I believe so.

- Look at that.

- [Steve] It might take me, with one that big, it might take me about three days to get through it.

- [Betty] That's Stigall Primary school.

Learning is sweet.

- [Steve] And here we go with Miss Rocky Top Honey.

And that is Mikayla Brown.

And we got an older one and a tiny one here, Betty.

- Oh look.

Miss April Rain, Autumn Houston and Little Miss April Rain, Kinzie Prater.

Miss Halls, Molly Kissel.

- [Steve] Boy, they're picking up speed now.

- [Betty] Gibson County Fairest of the Fair, Gracie Cowan.

- [Steve] I always look down the end of the street because there's a distinctive final act of this parade.

But we've still got some to come.

- [Shane] Right, we do.

- [Betty] Miss and Little Miss Spring Blossom.

- [Steve] Marquia Humphrey and Aniece Albian.

And if I mispronounce that, forgive me, family.

It was not intentional.

- [Betty] It's hard enough to read them when they're moving past you, it's really hard.

- [Steve] And here's one of our great employers in West Tennessee.

- Tyson.

- Our friends from Tyson Foods.

- [Betty] That's right.

(band music) (audience cheering) There's Kelly, Kelly Walker is on there.

- [Steve] And here comes... (band music) (audience cheering) Katelie Martindale.

She is Miss Junior Fairest of the Fair.

(band music) (audience chattering) - [Betty] Here's Wendy's.

- [Steve] Now I can tell you right now.

I could do for one of those Frosties right now.

- Me too, strawberry.

- Strawberry Frosties.

- Strawberry Frosty.

- [Betty] Strawberry Frosty.

Last year, we were the first and only place during the week of the festival that had the strawberry Frosty in the country.

- Yep.

- You see, I told Betty earlier, I said, I learn so much information and trivia about this event from what she's told me during the course of this parade 'cause she knows all the history.

And you're part of that too now.

So I'm gonna count on you to join Betty and being able to fill in all these blanks.

- I'd be glad to.

- [Betty] We got Chester County High School directed by Marcus Montgomery, the Royal Blue Eagles, Marching Eagles.

- [Steve] They're another one of the great groups that we have in West Tennessee.

And we will back away in just a moment and let you hear them.

(band music) (whistle blows) (band members chanting) (band music) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) - [Betty] Well, it is what it is, okay.

- [Steve] Well, "When the Saints Go Marching In" leads us right into Miss Martin, Ren Adkins.

And let me say our thanks to Shane Lynch for spending some time with us.

He has got to get over to the governor's luncheon.

- [Betty] He's president of the festival.

A few more days.

Then, like he said.

- [Steve] And our friends over at Southern Health and Wellness Clinic.

- [Betty] They'll start next week, talking about next year.

It really helps to talk about it quickly while everything's still fresh on your mind.

- [Steve] Exactly.

All right, who do we have here, Betty.

- [Betty] Madison Vermilion.

She is the Fish Fry Hostess Princess, World's Biggest Fish Fry from Paris, Tennessee.

- [Steve] We were so proud to have that event on WLJT.

And once again, as we get ready for another one, we've got so many things to tell you about before we get away today.

- [Betty] This is Manpower.

- [Steve] Manpower that does a good job of trying to keep folks employed in our area.

And they are first rate.

And here's something that is so important, the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network.

You've got a woman who is marching here saying, "I ride and walk for my best friend, Dylan, who died at the age of 24."

- That's right.

- [Steve] Mental health is so important in all of our communities.

- Especially since Covid.

- Exactly.

- [Betty] Being locked down in Covid just was so devastating to so many people.

- [Steve] And this is a reminder, whether it's depression or any other form of mental illness, you can't get well if you don't get help.

- [Betty] That's right.

- [Steve] And there's no shame in it whatsoever.

And I say that from personal experience.

- [Betty] Centennial Bank.

- [Steve] And I tell you, our banking institutions do such a great job of serving us all throughout our communities.

And ServPro, folks who I have had, these are the folks from Dyersburg and Union City, but I have had them in my house literally in the last week after some water damage.

And I appreciate them greatly.

(laughs) (truck horn honking) - [Betty] Here's four large vehicles.

(truck horns honking) Representing Privitt's Wrecker Service.

(audience chattering) (truck horn honking) They've got- (truck horn honking) Shined up, cleaned up.

- [Steve] I backed off for a minute because I didn't know whether they were gonna blow that horn again.

- [Betty] I know.

Between the air horns and the drums and the band, I'm like (exclaiming).

- [Steve] The percussion is the one that, particularly if it's on a city street like this, the percussion is the one that makes you feel like you're insides are jarring.

- The chair is vibrating.

- Yes.

- [Betty] Ooh, this is a big wrecker.

- [Steve] This is one.

And this is one of those that you say to yourself right here.

I'm glad they are available, but I hope you at home don't have to use their service.

- [Betty] Absolutely.

(truck horns honking) They have to have them size like when large tractor trailers and big trucks have accidents.

- And- (truck horns honking) And here they are.

(truck horns honking) They are there for you when you need them.

Well, we are so glad to have you here and let's take a break and we'll be right back with more of the 85th West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Parade.

- Hello, this is West Tennessee PBS's General Manager and CEO, Peter Noll.

West Tennessee PBS Channel 11 is only able to be here because of donations from our viewers.

You, at home!

We are a commercial-free TV station.

We're a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and we're a licensed community TV station.

And we rely on your donations to bring you local programs like the Grand Floats Parade from the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival.

Make a donation today.

Just go to westtnpbs.org and click on the donate tab in the upper right corner.

It takes just a few minutes, but it means a lot to Channel 11.

Thank you.

- [Narrator] You're watching a West Tennessee PBS WLJT Channel 11 special production in partnership with the Humboldt Chamber of Commerce of the 85th Annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Grand Floats Parade.

Sponsorship for this year's festival and Grand Floats Parade provided in part by... - [Announcer] BR Supply is proud to be a sponsor of the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival with 12 locations throughout West Tennessee, including our Humboldt location on Easton Drive.

It's BR Supply for plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling and more.

- [Announcer] Parham Heating, Cooling and Electric are proud to be a sponsor of the 85th Annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival.

Tennessee's largest and longest running festival since 1934.

Just like the Strawberry Festival, Parham Heating, Cooling, and Electric cover all of northWest Tennessee.

(upbeat music) - [Steve] Our friends from the Salvation Army, they help so many people.

And it's not just at the time of year where they ring the bells at the kettle.

- [Betty] Lions Club District 12L, have the site services.

- Yes, they do.

- [Betty] They provide glasses.

- [Steve] They do so many things to help people who are vision-impaired.

And so many of the Lions who are part of those clubs.

- [Betty] We have an active Lions Club here in Humboldt.

Empire Beauty School.

Now enrolling.

- Now enrolling!

- [Betty] That's right.

You could go learn how to fix your hair.

- [Steve] (laughing) If they could figure out a way because Rogaine failed with me.

I know we're not supposed to mention brand names here on public television, but.

- [Betty] That's okay.

- [Steve] It didn't do the job.

- [Betty] All right, I believe this is, looks like Milan, I don't know.

I'm guessing.

- [Steve] They are all decked out in their purple.

(band music) - [Betty] May, let's see.

Is this Haywood?

This may be Haywood County.

(band music) Haywood County's purple and white.

- [Steve] No, this is Milan High because that's nine to five.

Let's listen to it.

- Okay.

(band music) (band music continues) (band music continues) (audience cheering) (band music) Dolly would've been proud of them doing "Nine to Five", right here on our streets.

And of course, that's Davy Edmondson who is the director of this band.

- [Betty] Milan purple.

(band music) - [Steve] And the director, with his spectacular strawberry shirt on.

(band music) And that percussion continuing to build away.

And Betty, we have got another one that's got kids and- - Animals.

- [Steve] Animals on this berry wild for Michelle's Pet Grooming and Spa.

- [Betty] Look at the animals and they've got them decorated like.

- [Steve] I can't wait to see some of that show up on Facebook.

(laughs) - [Betty] A lion and... A lion and something.

Look, they've got 'em trimmed up and spotted.

Oh my goodness, how cute.

Miss Teen West Tennessee, Fairest of the Fair, Miley Patterson.

Oh my goodness, look at this little girl.

- [Steve] And what a day this is.

As Betty just pointed out, this little one that is coming along here and she's really keeping a pace.

- [Betty] Look at her.

She's blowing kisses.

- [Steve] That's another one that is going to- - [Betty] Look at that.

- [Steve] When her parents pull this out, when she has a date on her 16th birthday.

- Look at that - And shows it to her date.

She's gonna be very embarrassed.

(audience cheering) - Look at her.

- She is a doll.

- [Betty] Just walking along like she owns it.

How sweet.

- [Steve] And Miss Riverview Volunteer, London Healy, Miss Jackson Tiny Tot, Avery Kate Parker and Little Miss Jackson WonderFest, Avery Boza.

- [Betty] That must be Tiny Tot up there in the front.

- I believe she.

- Must be.

This is Junior Miss Christmas, Paisley Paris, from Halls, Tennessee.

(audience chattering) I don't know if this.

- [Steve] And Miss Obion County Fairest of the Fair, Sarah Beth Key.

- [Betty] Relay for Life is sponsoring this next car.

- [Steve] And of course, those are the people who do so much wonderful work.

And this is a volunteer thing that so many of you at home I know have participated in is Relay for Life and the Fight Against Cancer from the American Cancer Society.

(band music) (audience chattering) Now we've got a pretty spectacular one that is right here for folks to see.

- [Betty] Macy Joyce.

- [Steve] Floating on Crown nine.

I love the creative titles they give to these floats.

- [Betty] How cute.

- [Steve] And a lot of work goes into these things.

She's on a cloud, that's what it looks like.

She's on a cloud.

- [Steve] Here's McNairy County Teen Volunteer and that is Brennan Morris.

- [Betty] Pretty truck.

Pretty girl.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] And again, people, as we mentioned, they were here at seven, eight o'clock this morning to get their place on the streets here on Main Street.

(audience chattering) (band music) And here's Miss South Gibson County Middle School, Kylie Perry is the queen.

And I don't know if I can read the rest of these.

- [Betty] Brooklyn Reed, Ireland Weston, Ava Hornsby and Caitlin Hayes.

- [Steve] You were brilliant on that, Betty.

I could not read those.

(laughs) - [Betty] It was fancy writing.

Gibson Connect, this is the Gibson Connect.

- [Steve] And bringing us, just bringing the internet to the world now.

And it used to be that in the rural areas we were at a premium for it.

And now, they are carrying it to the extremes of the rural portions of our counties.

- Fast Paced Health.

- Just walk in!

- [Betty] Just walk in.

Oh my goodness.

(audience chattering) - [Steve] And look at this one here, right behind this truck, you got a little one coming here.

- [Betty] She's blowing bubbles out of there.

- [Steve] And a radio flyer blowing bubbles.

Boy, she is lapping it up being there with the crowd today and blowing those bubbles for everybody.

(audience chattering) Well, we have a little bit of break in the action right now, but reminding you that West Tennessee PBS is commercial-free and it does rely on viewers like you for donations.

So go to westtnpbs.org to see how you can support Channel 11 and everything that we do in the community, not just your programming, there are reading programs for children.

There's so many other ways of outreach in our communities.

And so please, westtnpbs.org.

Go there and you'll be a partner with us in doing everything that we do.

And Betty, as we take a look here at what is headed down in this direction, I mentioned to you earlier on, do you reach a point where when you see the parade begins to end and then you get to the end of the Saturday activities that you just go (sighs)?

- [Betty] I cried.

(Betty and Steve laughing) Oh, yep.

And people would say, "Oh, aren't you glad you're not, you know, having to."

I'm like, "No, it was wonderful."

- [Steve] It has to be a rush it to be a part of this and to see it all come together.

- [Betty] Yeah, when everything pulls off and everything is successful and you know, it's like.

- [Steve] And to see all did volunteers.

- We did it.

We did it.

- [Steve] That you had to do it.

- [Betty] We did it, absolutely.

- [Steve] Here is the South Gibson High School, South Gibson County High School Marching Hornets from up in Medina.

And when I first started doing this parade, there was not a South Gibson County High School.

- [Betty] That's right.

- [Steve] And now they are one of the most respected academically strong high schools in all of West Tennessee.

- [Betty] All five of my grandchildren are in South Gibson.

- [Steve] And really, the high school, the elementary and middle schools, they transformed.

Medina, Tennessee.

- [Betty] I used to, years ago, would drive around, we'd check out the cotton fields, see how the crops were.

It's all houses now.

- That's right.

- [Betty] It's all houses.

- [Steve] Well, the Hornets are, again, you look at so many of the young people now that the school has been in operation for the number of years that it has, it is really fantastic to see what it has done for what was considered to be a small, sleepy bedroom community and now is thriving economically.

- Sure is.

- Housing.

You got people who live in Jackson, actually who work in Jackson, who live in Medina.

And they have had so many of those homes that have been built there and the great growth.

They're gonna get in our direction in just a moment.

And we will let you hear them them when they do.

(audience cheering) - [Betty] Stephen Price is the band director.

(band music) - [Steve] Here we go!

(band music) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (audience cheering) (band music) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) (band music continues) - [Betty] Excellent.

- [Steve] The Marching Hornets.

"Come Out and Play" is what they just offered as we are getting very close to the climax of this 85th Annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival parade.

And Betty, who do we have?

- [Betty] We have Miss West Carroll Primary, Hazel Mitchell.

- My mother's name was Hazel.

- Hazel.

It's not a name you hear much anymore.

- [Steve] No, you don't.

- [Betty] Although, you know, people are naming babies.

- [Steve] Names from the past.

- Older names now.

- They really are.

Here is the Carroll County Fairest of the Fair, Brooklyn Polinsky and the Teen Fairest of the Fair, Piper Dupriest.

- [Betty] I hear naming babies Ruby.

- [Steve] Yeah.

- [Betty] And names that you haven't heard for a while.

- [Steve] Middle name of Maye, which you didn't hear for a long time.

- [Betty] This is Junior Miss McKenzie, Bella.

(audience chattering) Queen is Bella Batten.

Sammy Mathis, Lillian Brown, Addie Davis, and Janiah Christ.

- [Steve] And I can tell you, Betty didn't have glasses on to read any of that.

I'm impressed.

(Betty and Steve laughing) - [Betty] I had to squint.

Harley McClintock, Miss Weekly County Team Volunteer and Presley Harris, Miss Humboldt Iris Team.

- [Steve] And next up we have Miss Teen McKenzie, queen, Lakenfoster.

And some of the others.

The script is such that it's a little difficult to read here.

- [Betty] That might be a good thing for us mention to the, in the packet that goes out when you're putting something in, if you want the names read.

(laughs) - [Steve] Yeah, you gotta get it close.

- [Betty] Print them a little bit.

- [Steve] Our friends from McLean Power Systems.

- [Betty] Absolutely.

- [Steve] And we have some of our final carts that are coming through here and we are very shortly as some of the crowd is beginning to mill their way out into the street area, trying to keep everybody safe before all of these final vehicles get out here 'cause we don't want to have anybody hurt.

But it has been a great day.

- Absolutely.

- [Steve] And the rain has stayed away.

Clouds are getting a little darker now, but I think if we get it.

- It's perfect.

- [Steve] Somebody was looking out for us completely.

- [Betty] Just perfect.

- But this has been a joyous day to be back here in West Tennessee, and particularly in Humboldt, that I say becomes the biggest little city in Tennessee.

- There's some Rescue Squad folks.

(sirens wailing) - And if you missed any of today's parade or any of the other local parades that we've brought you during the spring, West Tennessee PBS is airing a special festival spectacular show with my good friend Tyler Hawks as your host.

It highlights all the festivals and the parades.

So go to westtnpbs.org for all of the air dates and times.

You can see it on-demand.

And you'll see everything that will and what has happened to come together to bring all of these parades and festivals to be such the flavor of West Tennessee.

And Betty... And the premier is on the 26th.

- Absolutely.

- May 26th.

So we hope you'll be with us for that.

Betty, I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed being with you today.

- It's been an honor.

- For all of the wonderful information you've given us about the history of this parade and festival and also what it takes to put it together.

- Well, it certainly has been a masterpiece of fun, which is the theme for this year's festival.

- Well, we're gonna leave it with you for one more year, but I've certainly enjoyed it and I know Betty has too.

- Absolutely.

- You can go on-demand and see it anytime you like.

For those of you who have been watching us live online, it's been our joy to be with you as it has happened in Humboldt.

So that does it for the 85th Annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Grand Floats Parade.

And until we are with you again, it's been such a joy to be here.

And until we are with you again, this is Steve Beverly, saying so long from the Strawberry Capital of Tennessee Humboldt, Tennessee.

- [Betty] Thank you.

- [Narrator] You've been watching a West Tennessee PBS WLJT Channel 11 special production in partnership with the Humboldt Chamber of Commerce of the 85th Annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Grand Floats Parade.

Sponsorship for this year's festival and Grand Floats Parade provided in part by... - [Announcer] BR Supply is proud to be a sponsor of the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival with 12 locations throughout West Tennessee, including our Humboldt location on Easton Drive.

It's BR Supply for plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling and more.

- [Announcer] Parham Heating, Cooling, and Electric are proud to be your sponsor of the 85th Annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival, Tennessee's largest and longest running festival since 1934.

Just like the Strawberry Festival, Parham Heating, Cooling, and Electric cover all of NorthWest Tennessee.

(bright music)