Winnsboro Main Street Board finalizes plans for July 4 1950s‑themed parade

The Winnsboro Main Street Board on Thursday confirmed plans for a July 4 parade that organizers say will celebrate the town with a 1950s theme and a roughly 0.9‑mile route passing MLK Park.

The board heard a parade update from a committee member who said lineup will be at 8:00 a.m. in the Barrel House parking lot with a prompt 9:00 a.m. start and an anticipated finish by about 10:00 a.m. "It is gonna be a 19 fifties themed parade," the director told the board, and organizers encouraged side‑by‑sides, bicycle riders and walkers to join.

Organizers plan to present awards (best overall and first through third place) and to give judges written metrics so entrants understand judging criteria. Committee members said the parade will be largely non‑motorized, with explicit exceptions for police, fire and approved side‑by‑sides. A board member urged that veterans and active‑duty families be especially welcomed in the lineup and that the community use the event to support downtown businesses.

Members discussed promotional materials and agreed the official city/Main Street page should post graphics first so board members can share a single, consistent message. One organizer said she already had graphics prepared and asked that the board re‑share them to broaden reach.

Board members proposed a related weekend program in June — community chalk/asphalt art on the Bowery timed to the farmers market, with volunteers or library staff helping younger participants and flyers/QR codes directing residents to parade details. Volunteers will hand out flyers door‑to‑door along the route in the week before the parade.

Next steps: organizers will finalize graphics and judging criteria, circulate volunteer sign‑up sheets by email to board members, and walk the route with flyers to deliver to residences along the parade way.