NWFC Rodeo parade ask participants to comply with request 

Annually, the Northwest Florida Championship Rodeo parade draws a large crowd from a variety of locations to Bonifay on Friday and Saturday on rodeo weekend. This year, those participating in the parade may see some slight changes,

The tradition of tossing candy during the parade is a fan favorite and this week the Bonifay Kiwanis Club has posted on their website that they recommend that no beads, candy, or any other objects be thrown from moving vehicles along the parade route. This comes from a request from the insurance carrier of the event. They have made the request to keep the spirit of the parade alive while making safety a priority for all. This is not new to other parades in our area. Unfortunately, due to lawsuits and safety issues this has become necessary. Parade officials have stated that it is not their desire to lessen the parade experience, but to only make the request at the recommendation of the insurance carrier. It is not a law.

What does this mean? According to the recommendation, you can still throw candy and items from vehicles, but the vehicles must come to a complete stop prior to items being thrown from the vehicle. According to officials, you can exit the vehicle and walk for a short amount of time handing out or tossing items from alongside the vehicle. You may enter and exit vehicles as a participant at any time to hand out items or to walk the parade route to hand out or toss items to people watching the parade. 

The parade starts at the north end of Bonifay in front of the Piggly Wiggly and travels south on Waukesha Street/Highway 79, turns right on Veterans Boulevard and ends in front of Memorial Field (arena). 

The public has opposing views on this change. “Each year the Poplar Springs queens look forward to the Rodeo parade. They enjoy prepping float, waving at friends, and throwing candy and beads in the parade each day,” said pageant director April Knight. “It is an extremely long parade route for walkers to walk to hand out candy or beads and I think it would take away from the experience for my girls and everyone else involved.”

“Last year I watched a parent send their small child running toward vehicles to get beads for her, the adult,” stated long time Rodeo Parade attendee Leesa Lee. “That is happening more often it’s so dangerous. They were across the road from us, and I could see other adults trying to intervene, but the child kept running out.”