Ag Parade Is a 'Go' for Tuesday, June 30

Due to the public outcry to reverse the cancelation of the Morrisons Cove Agricultural Parade, the parade committee, Martinsburg Borough Council, Memorial Park, PennDOT and State Rep. Jim Gregory were able to devise a workable plan for this year's parade.

The date of the annual Agricultural Parade will be Tuesday, June 30. The procession will begin promptly at 6 p.m. from the D. Merl Tipton Post 43, Veterans of Foreign Wars, on South Nicodemus Street in Martinsburg.

Because of the inability of PennDOT to issue a parade permit due to Gov. Tom Wolf's pandemic limitation orders, the traditional parade route which involved state routes 164 and 866 cannot be used. PennDOT does permit the crossing of state routes without a permit as long as there is traffic control by local police agencies. This year's parade route will cross the mentioned state roads at a total of three intersections.

The New Route

The 2020 edition of the parade route will begin at the Martinsburg VFW and travel north to West Julian Street. From there, the procession will make a right and travel six blocks East until reaching North Walnut Street. Upon reaching North Walnut Street, the route will again turn right and travel six more blocks finally reaching Morrisons Cove Memorial Park.

(Note: See a map of the new route on Page A-3.)

This route is roughly 0.2 of a mile less than the traditional route, making the parade just over a mile in length.

Most importantly, by traveling only on North Woodbury Township and Martinsburg Borough roads, a PennDOT parade permit will not be needed.

Line-up instructions

Participants in this year's parade are asked to begin lining their vehicles no earlier than 4 p.m. the day of the parade. Participants are asked to enter from Cross Cove Road to Central High Road (in front of Ritchey's Dairy) and proceed toward the Martinsburg VFW by making a right on South Nicodemus Street. Parade committee members will direct participants to park and line up. There will be no designated areas like in the past due to limited parking. Anyone that needs to unload (farm equipment/horses) may do that at Cove Landscaping Mulch pile just past the railroad crossing past Central High School. Due to Central's parking lot paving project, the parade committee will not be able to use the school for staging this year.

Graduates of the Class of 2020 at the four area high schools – Central, Claysburg-Kimmel, Northern Bedford and Williamsburg – are invited to don their caps and gowns and join the procession, assembling at the Borough Garage next to the recycling center and the water treatment plant on South Nicodemus Street.

Those who can volunteer to assist with staging and directing the flow of the parade are needed and welcome. Call the park office at 793-2176 to be placed on the list.

Bigger vehicles: No Go

Due to the narrow turns on this year's parade route, the parade committee is asking that no tractor trailers or oversized vehicles/equipment participate.

Due to the current social climate, the parade committee is discouraging the distribution of candy and other items to those lining the parade route.

Following CDC recommendations, the parade committee is also reminding participants and spectators to respect social distancing guidelines.

"Being good citizens of the Cove, we also hope that we respect our fellow neighbors property along the route," Steve Mowry, parade committee member said.

Martinsburg Chief of Police Kerry L. Hoover said parade watchers who are not sitting on sidewalks should ask homeowners for permission to sit in their yards.

Chief Hoover said all residents along the parade route will receive letters detailing this year's route.

The chief of police also said that there will be uniformed officers at the intersections of Nicodemus and Allegheny and Walnut and Allegheny streets to stop the parade in the event of traffic. Chief Hoover said there will be no detours in place for motorists this year.

"This may not be ideal for what we have become accustomed to parade night, but we all have had to make major lifestyle changes this year, and changing the parade is part of that," Mowry said. "We are having a parade and that is the important thing. Remember this is a one-time change and hope to get back to normal next year.

"Thank you for your concerns and to those involved to help make this year's parade possible."

J4 Celebration

In other J4 events at Morrisons Cove Memorial Park, the Little Miss Spring Cove pageant will be held Monday, June 29 in the Weaver Banquet Hall at the Park. (See separate story.)

Wednesday night, July 1, will be Sheetz wing night, beginning at 6 p.m.

Thursday night, July 2, will tentatively be Tractor Pull night. Watch for further details.

Fireworks are under consideration but the date and time are not firm yet.