BENTONVILLE -- There was a homecoming parade Saturday in downtown Bentonville for the first time in decade.
The Bentonville Alumni Association organized Saturday's parade. The last one was held in 2005.
Owen Cearley, a sophomore at Bentonville High School, was one of the students pleased to be resuming the tradition for students and the community.
"It's a great tradition to resume, but also honors the past," Cearley said.
The parade celebrated homecomings for both of the Bentonville School District's high schools. Bentonville High School's homecoming game is Oct. 21 against Rogers High School. West High School's homecoming game was Sept. 24 against Van Buren.
Mason Blaty, a freshman at Bentonville High School, said he was glad to see the return of the parade. "I think it is fun for the kids," Blaty said.
Jordan Sauls, a freshman at West High School, said she enjoyed the parade and it was fun event for the students.
"There was some buzz from students about the parade," said Jack Loyd, Bentonville High School principal. "You have to realize it's been 10 years so it's something that our students are not familiar with."
Loyd is also an alumnus of the school. He worked on the senior float and the Future Farmers of America float for the 1982 parade when he was a senior.
He was assistant principal at the high school when the decision was made to cancel the parade.
Loyd said he's pleased to see a tradition return to not only the school, but the city.
"We grew up with the parade," Loyd said. "The community would get involved and a some alumni would come back into town. It was just a good event."
Bentonville alderman Octavio Sanchez was the parade's grand marshal.
Both school's homecoming courts rode in individual decorated cars.
Jonathan Guthrie, West principal, said he wasn't in Bentonville for the past parades, but he loves the idea of homecoming parades. Guthrie said he supports programs that build school spirit and builds the relationships between schools and the community.
Guthrie said the parade will only get better. Guthrie noted the schools' bands and cheer teams were involved in competitions and couldn't participate in the parade.
Cindy Acree, a 1975 graduate of Bentonville High School and board secretary for the Bentonville Alumni Association, said the alumni association worked together on a float for the parade.
Acree said next year they plan to teach students how to build floats so they enter them into the parade.
Loyd and Acree hope the parade is once again a yearly tradition.
"Our goal is to grow this event to give students a chance to work on team building and also help preserve relationships," Acree said.
NW News on 10/16/2016