ROWLAND — Rowland residents Rosa Thompson and Seneca Thompson have something in common. Both attend their community’s annual Christmas Parade and Festival on a regular basis, and both said Saturday’s event was one of the best ever held in this community.

“This is one of the best Christmas parades I’ve seen,” Seneca said after the last of the parade units had passed by him and his 8-month-old son Seneca Jr. “I loved it all. I especially enjoyed the bands and the horses.”

“There is something in this parade for everybody,” Rosa added. “I especially like the bands. The Christmas music adds something to help everyone get into the spirit of the season.”

This is the 22nd year that Rowland has ushered in the holiday season with a parade. This year’s parade included about 75 units. There were floats, queens, Shriners, marching units, horses, and vintage tractors and autos. Santa rode into town on the town’s antique fire truck. Immediately after the parade the jolly old elf gave out candy to children at the Santa House, located in front of the Historic Rowland Depot.

The weather was anything but frightful as the parade made its way from the Rowland Middle School on Hines Street down Main Street and onto U.S. 301, where it looped back to the middle school. An enthusiastic crowd of spectators arrived well before the parade’s 10 a.m. starting time, and quickly lined both sides of the parade route.

Dessie Lowry, chairman of the Rowland Celebrations Committee, said the number of people attending the parade and festival may have topped the estimated 5,000 people who attended two years ago.

“This is the best crowd of any parade we have had. I didn’t get the chance to see the parade myself, but Mayor (Elizabeth) Hunt said that she had never seen so many people along the parade route before.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better day to get people out to the parade and festival. If the crowd was any larger, I don’t know where we would have put people.”

Immediately after the parade, the crowd made its way to the Historic Depot area to enjoy the rest of the day’s festivities. About 25 vendors were there, offering festival attendees a variety of foods and crafts.

Entertainment was provided by Valerie Humphrey, a Michael Jackson impersonator from Lumberton; the Peay Family, a male vocal quartet formerly from Rowland, and now based in Greensboro; and the Gaddis Girls, two Hope Mills sisters, ages 12 and 9, who incorporate Elvis impersonations into their show that include gospel and country music.

“For a small town, we offer a variety of entertainment,” Lowry said. “And all of the entertainment is good.”

When asked about their favorite part of the parade, it didn’t take cousins Makayla Thompson, 4, of Rowland, and Quidar Thompson, 4, of Harrisburg, Pa., long to answer.

“I liked the dancing parts,” Makayla said in reference to some the marching bands’ performances. “I also liked the horses.”

“I liked the horses and cows,” Quidar echoed in reply.

The cows he referred to were actually oxen that pulled a cart along the parade route.

Rosa Thompson, the children’s aunt, laughed when she heard their answers.

“That really surprises me. I thought they would say their favorite part of the parade was Santa, especially since he promised to bring them a big present they want,” Thompson said.

The Rowland Parade and Festival is sponsored by the Rowland Celebrations Committee. Lowry said it is being funded in part by a $2,000 grant from the North Carolina Arts Council and administered through the Carolina Civic Center.