PHOTOS BY KIM KERVIN, JIM BYARD AND CRYSTAL BRYANT

BY SARAH STEPHENS, ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS

These are just a few of the photos submitted. Once this is posted we will share the full gallery of submitted photos on our Facebook Page for Elmore Autauga News.

AUTAUGA COUNTY – You could compare the participants of this year’s Vida Christmas parade to the residents of the fictional town of Whoville from The Grinch. Nothing was going to spoil their parade or their Christmas spirit, and certainly not the threat of rain. Besides, using an umbrella to catch candy works exceptionally well.

The Vida Community Center was bustling with activity as floats lined up early Saturday, Dec. 18. Cooks were preparing a lunch to be served after the parade and the Camp Stew was bubbling.

If you have never attended this parade, we encourage you to put it on your Must Do list for next year. As one of the last parades of the year from our area, it draws participants from all over the county, and sometimes the state. They come in cars, wagons, tractors, on horses, hot rods, old trucks, new trucks, fire trucks, ambulances and any other way you can imagine.

The parade is a bit unusual as it leaves the Vida Community Center making a right on to County Road 19, then turns around and parades back. Thanks to the Autauga County Sheriff’s office, this usually offers no issues as it has just become an old tradition this point. And it also gives everyone in the parade to see the entire parade as well as they pass each other after the turnaround.

The big crowd lined both sides of the road along the entire route.

So, it is a double parade in a sense, and people love it. With candy sailing through the air, waves to neighbors and cheers, the parade finished with plenty of fun and smiles despite a little rain.

Afterwards, everyone met back up at the Vida Community Center for lunch, or to take part in the Camp Stew and Boston Butt fundraiser.

Santa was there to visit with the kids, and the workers offered up food with smiles. If you want to keep up with events in Vida, follow the Vida Community Center Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Vida-Community-Center-451453735015235/

SEE MORE PHOTOS BELOW! These are just some of the photos submitted. For ALL photos visit our Facebook page for the Elmore Autauga News. Tag and share away!

We are so thankful for these photos contributed by Kim Kervin, Jim Byard and Crystal Bryant. We had plans to attend in person again this year, but it wasn’t to be unfortunately. But thank you for coming through with some great photos for us to share with our readers. Merry Christmas to all!