Record 12,000 people turn out for Dunbar parade

Story was written on deadline for the next day's Monday paper. It ran on the front of the B section.

Velda Morgan came to the 61st annual Dunbar Easter Parade and Celebration to have a good time and mark the holiday.

While walking around, she bumped into an old classmate she hadn’t seen since they graduated in 1980.

“I couldn’t believe it! We went to Riverdale High school together and it was like a class reunion for me,” said Morgan, whose husband, Fred, organized the parade.

“We caught up and it was very nice to have that quality time. The day was just beautiful,” she said.

Parents, children and grandparents gathered along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and nearby streets Sunday to watch 150 floats, customized cars with spinning rims and street performers march to rap, gospel and hip-hop.

More than 12,000 people came to the parade, the biggest crowd in its 61-year history.

“I’ve never seen this many people come out,” said Fred Morgan, noting that last year’s parade boasted a crowd of 10,000. “The community comes together for this home-driven event because it unites this community.”

This year’s event, Fred Morgan said, was revamped to be more organized and to include more activities.

“The theme of this year’s parade was ‘The Dunbar Family Rebirth’ and that’s why we worked hard to give people something better,” said Fred Morgan, adding that a committee of 20 people helped him reorganize the parade to include 35 food vendors.

“This parade was founded to celebrate the youth of our community, and it’s easy to see that it’s respected and well-received,” he said.

Keeping the parade organized wasn’t always easy, though.

Several paradegoers, in their Sunday best or in bunny outfits, handed out candy, T-shirts and CDs to the crowd. The interaction led Fort Myers police officers to ride by on motorcycles and ask the crowds to stay off the road and make way for the floats.

The fun literally rolled by as people gathered on street corners, sidewalks and on their porches to look on as brightly colored floats, customized cars and motorcycles cruised by, roaring their engines and blaring music.

“People come from all over for this parade to see people, eat and be together,” said Ivory Scott, organizer of Saturday’s basketball tournament that’s part of the Easter weekend festivities. “It’s good to get the young people in our community involved to do something positive and have a good time.”

The parade brings many people together, and that’s what Velda Morgan appreciates.

“You see a lot of people you haven’t seen in a long time,” she said.