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Driving Downtown New Bern this morning gave me a snapshot of what’s to come…lot’s of local residents and visitors!
Stores were decorated in Red, White, and Blue decorations and it was hard to find a place to park. I got lucky with a prime spot on Middle Street. 
I met a very friendly group of folks visiting from Switzerland and many out of state visitors.
During my travels, I ran into Thea Kincaid (owner of Thea’s Ideas) and she gave me a copy of tomorrow’s assorted and large parade lineup, outlined below:
Final 300th Heritage Parade Lineup:
1. City of New Bern 300th Jubilee Heritage Parade
2. New Bern Fire Department Color Guard with Bagpipes
3. Stick Puppets – New Bern Bear and Baron DeGraffenreid
3a. Dignitary – Governor Beverly Perdue
4. Antique Cars Courtesy of First Capital Antique Auto Club
5. Dignitary – Swiss Ambassador to the United States
5a. Dignitary – Ghana Ambassador to the United States
6. Tyron Palace Fife & Drum Corps
7. Mayors of New Bern and Bern
8. Dignitary – New Bern Board of Aldermen
8a. Bern E. Bear
9. New Bern High School Marching Band
10. HDRA celebrates New Bern Famous Residents
11. Dignitary – NC State Official Delegation
12. Gilbert Waters Buggymobile
13. Keller Williams – City Hall and Clock Tower
14. Dignitary – Swiss Consular Officials
15. Dignitary – Swiss Canton Officials
16. Swiss Village Street Band
17. Dignitary – Former Mayors of New Bern
18. Dignitary – Family of Mayor Leander Morgan
19. Dignitary – Former Board of Alderman
20. United States Marine Corps Color Guard
21. Elks Club Flag Bearers
22. United States Marine Corps Marching Band
23. New Bern Young Marines
24. Pepsi PT Cruiser
25. Caleb Bradham and Pepsi Girl
26. Dignitary – Craven County Commissioners
27. Tryon Palace Group
28. Scotland High School Marching Band
29. New Bern Historical Society
30. Theta Beta Omega Chapter of AKA
31. Johnkonnu – Tryon Palace
32. Christ Episcopal Church – Reverend James Reed First Rector
33. New Bern Sun Journal
34. Dignitary – Havelock Commissioners
35. Havelock High School Marching Band
36. Coastal Women’s Forum
37. New Bern Farmer’s Market
38. Coastal Carolina Drill Team
39. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
40. West Craven High School Marching Band
41. 1933 Fire Truck – Fireman’s Museum
42. Button and Atlantic Company Past Chiefs
43. Shriners Fire Brigade
44. Historic Riverside
45. Scottish Heritage Society
46. East Carolina Combined Pipe Band
47. New Bern Woman’s Club
48. River Bend Garden Club
48a.Dignitary – River Bend Commissioners
49. NC 7th and Riley’s Battery – Civil War Re-enactors)
50. Trent Woods
51. Budweiser Car
52. JT Barber Elementary School
53. Native American Float
54. Charles B. Aycock High School Marching Band
55. Maola Milk
56. Corvette Club – Honoring WWII Vets
57. New Bern Young Professionals/Chamber of Commerce
58. Liberty and Justice for All
59. Wells Fargo Stagecoach
60. Cultural Festival Entry – Filipino American Celebration
61. St Paul’s Catholic Church – William Gaston
62. Whiteville High School Marching Band
63. Children with Flags
64. Craven County School Bus
If parking is an issue that will prevent you from attending tomorrows events, then park in the rear of JC Penny’s parking lot at the New Bern Mall and take the shuttle. There are various stops along the route. Don’t let parking issues prevent you from this once in a lifetime weekend!
For details about the fantastic schedule of events for New Bern’s 300th Birthday weekend, please visit New Bern’s 300th Committee website.
Thanks for the schedule, Thea!
Wendy Card