During the annual Poplarville Christmas Parade on Friday, the Poplarville Hornets football team will be featured as the grand marshals. The next day, the team will head to Starkville to compete in the state championship.

“I’ve never seen this much excitement in Poplarville before,” Maggie Smith, Poplarville Chamber of Commerce president and former PHS graduate said. “I have been here practically all my life and have never felt the spirit we have as a community right now.”

Smith said concerned Poplarville citizens asked if the parade would be cancelled due to the success of the football team. Instead, the football team will be on the first float of the parade as a way to honor their acheivement.

“As a former teacher and graduate of Poplarville, it is hard to explain how proud I am of these boys and to see history in the making. We are all excited to make the trip to Starkville to cheer them on. I think I speak for the whole community when I say we are all behind them,” Smith said.

The success of the team has brought the community closer, Smith said.

In other news concerning the Poplarville Christmas Parade, Smith said she has received community complaints concerning the Poplarville Board of Aldermen’s decision to not allow candy to be thrown during the parade.

“Last year the street sweeper was jammed twice because of the candy and the city had the expense of the sweeper, which was something we never intended,” Smith said.

As the Board considered banning candy to be thrown during the parade, Pearl River County Sheriff David Allison volunteered two crews from the Pearl River County jail to assist in sweeping the streets after the event. The Board agreed with the sheriff to allow candy to be thrown during the parade.

The parade will begin at 5 p.m. at Poplarville High School.

“We want to thank Sheriff Allison for volunteering and we are excited to continue our normal activities during the parade,” Smith said.