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Plant City King Day Parade Will Roll Without Goodies

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By RAY REYES | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 18, 2008

PLANT CITY - Members of the Improvement League of Plant City already had purchased candy and beads for Saturday's parade honoring the life and work of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

But days before the event got rolling, the city commission voted unanimously to prohibit the distribution of goodies at parades, forcing the Improvement League to improvise.

Candy, beads and other trinkets will be handed out at this weekend's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Arts Festival, which will feature carnival rides and a midway at the Randy L. Larson Softball Four-Plex on Park Road next to Plant City Stadium.

The commission voted for the ban after the release of a report on the death of a 9-year-old Inverness boy at the Plant City Christmas parade.

While the commission debated measures on how to prevent another accident like the one that took the life of Jordan "Booka" Hays, Improvement League officials informed commissioners of the safety regulations they have instituted for Saturday's parade.

If a child is younger than 10, they will not be allowed to stand on a moving float, said William Thomas of the Improvement League.

Four adults per float — two in the front of the float and two in the back — will supervise children, whether they are on floats or in walking units, Thomas said.

The parade will start at 1 p.m. Saturday along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, from near Alexander Street to Marshall Middle School.

The Improvement League sponsors the parade.

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