Rain temporarily delayed the Independence Day parade in Haralson, but did nothing to dampen attendance at the annual fireworks extravaganza.
Welcome precipitation – in the midst of a dry spell – came to southeastern Coweta on Tuesday, falling for about 90 minutes during the mid-afternoon.
“We probably got two inches or more,” said Eric Spencer, who organizes the annual Independence Day events in Haralson.
The town celebrated the nation’s birthday a day early this year with a parade, followed by a music program and festival. A kaleidoscope of color and cacophony of exploding shells ended the night to sighs of contentment and squeals of delight.
The rain, however, threw a kink in the parade plans. Some scheduled participants decided the parade must have been cancelled after the afternoon showers, and Spencer was on his cell phone a lot as time for the 6:30 p.m. event drew near.
(To view photos of the Haralson Parade, visit http://photos.times-herald.com/mycapture and click on Events / Haralson for the Photo Gallery.)
Just a few minutes after the scheduled moment, the parade left Haralson Head Start, which is located in the community’s historic school. A Coweta County Sheriff’s Office patrol car led the procession, followed by Mayor Ted Bateman on his bicycle.
Next was the grand marshal, 16-year-old racing phenom Corey Payton. The 11th grader – a gifted student at Newnan High School – said it was his first time to be in a parade. He deemed the experience “pretty cool.”
The parade included the Griffin family’s float, pulled by a large tractor and a couple of shiny antique automobiles. Roy Watson rolled through town in his 1933 Ford. His wife, Inez, he confided, was his co-pilot.
The parade wound through town. Several of those with floats tossed candy to bystanders along Haralson’s streets.
After the parade, the crowd gathered at a lot on Line Creek Road near Shaddix Road. There was a booth offering fun items for children – oversize inflatable toys, glow sticks and necklaces and washable tattoos – adjacent to a popular jump house.
One vendor offered tasty hamburgers, and warm temperatures caused a line to form at the shaved ice trailer. Members of Allen-Lee Memorial United Methodist Church from Lone Oak grilled hot dogs and offered homebaked goodies and cold soft drinks.
A group of boys quickly formed teams and created an impromptu football game. Music played throughout the evening with Little Joey – Joey Hoegger and Mike Lowry – presenting a bluesy version of “Amazing Grace” that ended seconds before the fireworks began exploding in the air above a field beyond the festival area.
The crowd grew until moments before time for the fireworks. People were parked throughout town – even on Highway 85. The City of Haralson sponsors the event each year.
