Athol Daze showcases pride, history, family

JACK DEWITT | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 months, 1 week AGO

Lucia Thomason smiles and waves the American Flag while galloping down Highway 54 on Saturday.
JACK DEWITT/Press

George "Hollywood" Zick wheelies his modified grocery cart as he jogs down the street in the Athol Daze parade on Saturday.

Jemma and Jonny Carey smile and wave to the crowd from the back of their float/truck on Saturday.

Wyatt Dray sucks on hard candy while he cruises on his tractor on Saturday.

Preston Clark smiles as he and his dad drive a branded, classic Ford Model in the Athol Daze parade.

As children scrambled for candy and neighbors greeted one another beneath a pink sunrise, the annual Athol Daze Parade once again united Athol on Saturday morning.

“I love seeing the community come together,” said Beth Reed, a local.

Reed enjoyed seeing her friends and neighbors outside and talking to each other, away from technology. Her favorite part of the parade was seeing kids run to retrieve candy. She also thought the parade showcased the local flavor.

“It’s great that they were showing the resources and the cultural history of the area,” she said.

Youth football players, hauling companies, charities and more all had floats that rode or strode along E Highway 45 as about 300 people watched parade floats, cars and horses.

George “Hollywood” Zick jogged down the street in a modified grocery cart with large tires as a part of the parade.

“I have fun with it,” he said.

There were muscle cars, Model T’s, there was even a large Trojan Horse float lead by Odysseus in the vehicle towing it.

The parade was followed by a day-long celebration ending at 5 p.m. There was a pancake breakfast, children's games, beer gardens, live music, a car show, a pinup and greaser contest and a cake walk in Athol City Park.

Steve Greenwood has brought his family to the Athol Daze Parade three years in a row now. He said events like the parade were important for closeknit, rural communities.

When asked what his favorite part of the parade was, Greenwood said, “Watching the kids pick all of the candy up.”

Jeremy Deline brought his children, like he has for the past four years.

“I think it's a good thing for the kids to have,” he said.