By By KEVIN SCOTT CUTLER
Lifestyles & Features Editor
AURORA — Umbrellas and raincoats, not ski caps and snow shoes, were the fashion accessories of the day Sunday afternoon for a rather soggy Aurora Christmas parade.
Participants and spectators were in the holiday spirit as a procession of church, school and civic entries paraded through town.
Although the rainy weather kept some expected participants away, there was plenty of see. Among those braving the weather were the marching band from Chocowinity Middle School, Scout troops, Pamlico County High School’s Junior ROTC color guard, fire and rescue units, town commissioners and, in his first parade appearance as the town’s new mayor, Clif Williams.
Also represented were Southside High School, American Red Cross, Aurora Police Department, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and the N.C. Highway Patrol.
The parade was sponsored by the Aurora-Richlands Chamber of Commerce.
For the first time in several years, judges awarded prizes to the best entries, according to Gail Phelps, who coordinated the parade with her father, town Commissioner Michael Patterson.
The awards went to PotashCorp’s Santa Claus float, first; Sassy Red Hat Fossils/Red Hat Society of Aurora, second; and honorary Ernul Mayor David Swain, third.
Sunday’s festivities also included a holiday “meet and greet” at the chamber office, as well as a Christmas craft show and sale benefiting the Aurora Rescue Squad.