Our program this week is the Roswell Youth Day Parade presented by the  Roswell Youth Advisory Council.  President Katie Wishert will say a few words and read the Youth Day Celebration Proclamation. Jeff Leatherman, Director of Recreation and Parks, says that Roswell is the only city in our country that has a parade specifically celebrating youth.  That's amazing!

More info on the Youth parade:

Celebrate Roswell's youngest residents on Saturday, October 8, 2022, at the 72nd annual Frances McGahee Youth Day Celebration! The celebration will begin with a parade at 10:00 AM through downtown Roswell and will continue with a celebration at Roswell City Hall (38 Hill Street, Roswell, GA 30075) from 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM with activities for the whole family.

The parade will begin at 10:00 AM on Mimosa Boulevard and end at Roswell Area Park on Woodstock Road. Guests are invited to line the streets to view and catch candy from the handmade community-made parade floats. This year's Youth Day Celebration theme is "Love Your Parks."

Following the parade, the outdoor space surrounding City Hall will be alive with activities including Art Block at Roswell Cultural Arts Center, Fall Farm Days at Smith Plantation and a Touch-A-Truck exhibit at the City Hall roundabout.

Explore the world of performing arts, literature, visual arts and more through interactive booths, live performances and make-and-take crafts at Art Block. Take a stroll to Smith Plantation to experience a youth-friendly petting zoo, a pumpkin patch, specialized autumn crafts and more at Fall Farm Days! At Touch-a-Truck, view a variety of rescue vehicles, provided by Roswell Fire Department and view a helicopter landing and take off, exclusive to Youth Day guests.

The Youth Day celebration is free to attend. Food and drinks will be available for purchase at one of the four food truck vendors located on the City Hall campus.

Limited free parking will be available at Roswell City Hall, Green Street and East Alley. Please be aware of road closures from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM to accommodate the parade route.

For more information, please visit www.roswellgov.com/youthday.

About Youth Day

Youth Day has been a long-standing tradition in Roswell that began in 1950 when a group of parents decided to sponsor a parade and a day of activities to honor the youth of the City. In 1951, Mayor Ford Rucker proclaimed the second Saturday in October as "Roswell Youth Day" and each year the tradition grew stronger within the community. Mrs. Frances McGahee, whom the annual Youth Day parade is named after, was a Roswell resident for over 50 years. McGahee was a pillar in the Roswell community, serving on various boards and holding multiple positions. In 2007 the Roswell Youth Day Parade was renamed the Frances McGahee Youth Day Parade. Every year, Roswell will host the annual Youth Day Celebration to commemorate the youth of Roswell and to honor the legacy that Mrs. McGahee left for the community of Roswell.