SHELBY – Main Street was lined with people of all ages eager to watch the Shelby Bicycle Days parade on Saturday.
The summer tradition brought out old pros and newcomers alike to watch bicycles, businesses and community members make their way down the road.
Kenny and Lynn Paugh were first-timers to the parade and came about 50 minutes early to stake out their spots. The Mansfield natives said they were looking forward to seeing bicycles, especially older models, like the ones they used to ride when they were kids.
Jocelyn McAuley, on the other hand, has lived in Shelby her whole life and always looks forward to the annual parade. Similar to the Paughs, McAuley said she was looking forward to sitting back and watching the parade and the fireworks after dark.
The fireworks cap a two-day celebration which began on Friday with food trucks, games and local businesses staked out in the heart of downtown Shelby.
Midge Binion-Etter was standing with her grandson along the road before the parade started. Binion-Etter has lived in Shelby for 65 years and remembers coming to the parade when it first started 31 years ago. Before that, Binion-Etter used to walk in Shelby parades herself as a co-leader for her girl scout troop.
“It was always a great big deal,” Binion-Etter said. “It’s been smaller the past couple years, but I hope it comes back to where people really pour into it – our heritage, seeing how we came about and what the different clubs and businesses stand for.”
Happy to be watching from the sidelines this year, Binion-Etter was looking forward to seeing her great grandson, Finn Beninghof ride in the parade as this year’s Bicycle Days Kiddie King.
Beninghof was voted as the winner through both a monetary donation and social media contest along with Kiddie Queen Mariah.
“(Finn is) just ecstatic … so we’re all excited,” Binion-Etter said.
Along with Beninghof, Richland County Fair Queen Madison Parks also got the chance to ride in the parade. Parks grew up watching the parade and said it was awesome to actually be a part of it this year.
“It was so much fun riding in the parade with the little kids and the people watching would point like ‘oh my gosh, it’s the king and queen!’ ”
Parks said her favorite part of the day was passing out her crown to the kids to give them all the chance to be kings and queens for the special day.
