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Safe Distribution Of Trinkets OK At Plant City Parade

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By GEORGE WILKENS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 1, 2008

PLANT CITY - When Santa comes to town Friday, it looks like beads and candy may be a part of the festivities.

Organizers of the Plant City Christmas Parade decided to allow distribution of goodies as long as they aren't thrown. City commissioners recently adopted a resolution prohibiting beads and candy, but the measure lacks enforcement powers.

"We're not promoting handing out candy. We're just saying if you choose to do it, we didn't do away with it in our particular parade," Christmas parade committee member Frank LaBarbera said. "Our insurance company doesn't have a problem with it."

Parade safety became a concern in Plant City after the death of a 9-year-old Inverness boy at the 2007 Christmas parade. Jordan "Booka" Hays was caught under the wheels of a church float as he dispensed candy from the float.

Regarding the city resolution, LaBarbera said, "What they're doing is just making recommendations. When it was all said and done, they left it up to the different [parade] committees. That's the way it was left, and that's the way we understood it. It wouldn't be much of parade if you don't have some candy and some trinkets."

LaBarbera said the committee has new rules to improve safety without going to the extreme of banning candy and beads.

"We're not going to let people walk beside a float and hand out candy; they've got to walk behind the float," a task preferably assigned to adults or teens, he said. "They can't throw anything; they've got to literally hand it out. So we think it'll be fine."

City Attorney Ken Buchman said the city's resolution lacks the teeth of an ordinance.

"An ordinance would give the city the ability to enforce it through fines or other means," he said.

Mayor Rick Lott acknowledges trinkets have played a role in the parade's 25-year history.

"It's a long tradition," he said. "Part of a parade is the joy of making kids happy, and what makes kids happy are floats, entertainment and beads and candy."

The parade starts at 6 p.m. at Collins and Alsobrook streets, follows Collins north before heading east on Reynolds Street to Michigan Avenue.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4433.

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