By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Puryear, Tenn.–Puryear Day is back in a big way!
After a lull of a few years, the Puryear Lions Club is bringing back Puryear Day with a full slate of activities all day this Saturday, May 7.
The event will include the parade through town, live music by local bands, Puryear Fire Department tours, petting zoo, dunk tank, a kiddie cupcake walk, ‘Smack the Car’, kids’ games, silent aucion and more.
Warren and Dorothy Sykes will be the posthumous Grand Marshals of the parade for all they did for Puryear Day in the past. Warren built the 25-foot Puryear train that will be again in the parade. Their son Mitch Sykes will represent them.
The parade route is the same as previous years: The parade route starts at the Church of Christ and goes west on 140 turning left/south then down Main St.
The restored 1927 American LaFrance Paris Fire Truck will be featured in the parade, as it was in the World’s Biggest Fish Fry parade. And it will be on display all day for people to see.
Bands include Dutton and Friends, Byron Slaughter, Lady and Gents and the Fajita Brothers.
Food trucks also will be on hand.
The schedule of events:
9 a.m. to 5 p.m., arts and crafts
10 a.m. parade
10:30 a.m. Fire Department tours and photos with current trucks and 1927 truck
11 – noon Dutton and Friends perform
11-1 petting zoo
11–guessing weight of huge log from Middleton Lumber
11–National Guard
11-5:30 p.m. silent auction
11-1 hot dogs
11-4 p.m. dunk tank
noon Kiddie cupcake walk
12-5 p.m. Smash the Car
1–Byron Slaughter band
1-5 p.m. kids’ games
2-Puryear birthday cake
3-5 p.m. Lady and Gents
7-10 p.m. Fajita Brothers.
Photo: Warren Sykes in foreground, with Grand Marshal Morris Jenkins. Photo taken at the 2011 Puryear Day parade by Shannon McFarlin.