Staff writer
Organizers of the 93rd annual July Fourth celebration proclaimed the event a huge success Monday morning.
“The button sales were great. We sold out again so we had more than 5,000 paid admissions,” committee member Lisa Hodges said. “We estimate a couple hundred more people in the park when you add in the volunteers, vendors, carnival people, children younger than 3, and probably a group or two that sneaked in.
“It was a success. We had no serious problems, only one or two items turned in to lost and found, and everyone had seemed to have a really good time.”
The parade was one of the largest in recent memory and there were many entries in categories that offered prizes.
First-place winner of $250 was Peabody Township Library. The second place $150 prize went to Samantha Frye and friends, and the $50 third prize went to the Miles Gang.
Mark Seeney won $50 for the best decorated child’s bike, Leroy and Florence Penner won $50 for the coolest car, and Miles Richert won $50 for the best decorated golf cart or mower.
All prizes were in the form of Peabody bucks and can be spent with local businesses.
“And if there was a kid along Walnut St. who didn’t get any candy, it was because he was sleeping through the parade,” Shane Marler, parade organizer said. “The floats, cars, and plenty of bikes, golf carts, and other entries tossed tons of candy.”
Peabody Main Street tossed Peabody T-shirts as well, and Peabody Community Foundation covered the parade route beforehand, passing out chilled bottles of water.
“We’ve been coming every year for a long time,” Newton resident Sarah Masem said. “This has been great. Even the weather cooperated. We will be ready for the 94th July Fourth before you know it!”