Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

BY IVAN SANDERS
CITY OF ELIZABETHTON PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER
Everyone loves a parade, and the Elizabethton City Schools in conjunction with the City of Elizabethton, will be hosting the Elizabethton Parade of Champions at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday evening, Nov. 18, featuring Elizabethton native and World Series Champ Texas Ranger outfielder Evan Carter and the Division II Tennessee State Champion Betsy Band.
The parade will feature floats and participants from schools within the school system, along with Carter, his wife Kaylen, and their family.
Carter brought much notoriety to Elizabethton after being called up to the Texas Ranger organization to fill in for an injured Adolis Garcia and quickly earned the title of ‘Little Savior’ in leading the Rangers into the postseason and then being a critical part of the team in helping lead the Rangers to their very first World Series title after winning 11 straight road games.
His nine doubles in the postseason also set a Major League record.
The Betsy Band continues to shine the spotlight on their community after completing a back-to-back sweep as State Champs in the Division II State Band Competition held at Stewarts Creek High School in Nashville.
While the band will not be playing for the parade, they will be recognized for their championship run.
Motorists and visitors to the downtown area need to be made aware that Elk Ave. in downtown will be closed beginning at 3 p.m. on Saturday as the Elizabethton Police Department and Elizabethton Street Department prepare for the event. It is respectfully requested that vehicles are moved off Elk Ave. by 3 p.m.
The parade will be held in a reverse pattern from that of the Christmas parade, as the start of the parade will be at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Elk Ave. and will proceed up Elk Ave. to Lynn Ave.
Staging for the event will be on East E St. at the intersection with Sycamore St. Parents who have children participating in the parade are asked to proceed on Sycamore St. from Broad St. and to drop participants off at the E St. and Sycamore intersection, then turn right on E St. to allow for proper traffic flow.
The parade is part of a fun-filled evening as the parade will follow the lighting of the Fraser Fir sponsored by Carter County Bank, which begins at 5 p.m. with the switch to be thrown by Carter between 6-6:15 p.m. Also that evening, the Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Department is hosting ice skating and food trucks as part of Skate by the Doe at Covered Bridge Park from 6 to 8 p.m.
With many pedestrians moving around, motorists are urged to use extreme caution when driving in the area.