Jimmie Seymore of Whitmire is dreaming of a revived Christmas parade - just like ones he used to know.

He remembers a time when the entrants were many and bands were plenty, and everyone knew just where to go.

“Everything was laid out in order,” Seymore said, recalling his involvement in Whitmire's Christmas parade as a Jaycee 30 years ago.

“When I came back four years ago, and about the second year I got involved in the parade, I called the (phone) number and asked about parade lineup and was told to just come on up and get in line where ever,” he said at the August Whitmire Town Council meeting.

Seymore would like to see entrants more organized and the more parade have more participants.

He remembers December of 1959 when the parade lineup extended from Park Street to past the creek.

“I would like to see food vendors brought back here. I would like to see our school host a battle of the bands and have Union, Chester, Mid-Carolina, Newberry, Clinton and Laurens come here, march and grade them on their march, but also have them at the tennis courts and the drum lines just for a battle of the bands,” he said. “Let them have a good time-one trophy takes all. That's bragging rights.”

He also remembers when the Whitmire Parade had several bands and six to seven units of Shriners.

“I am a firm believer of not living in the past, but that was what was done in the past,” Seymore said. “We've had other towns put floats in our parade. It's been more than what it is lately and it hurts me to go to these other towns and other parades and be a part of them and see what they have versus what we have. It's time to take charge of what we're doing.”

Mayor Tim Carroll said that the little town of Prosperity has “one of the best parades in the county,” and Seymore said he is impressed with Little Mountain's reunion parade with 123 units.

Like other towns, Seymore says Whitmire should begin planning for December's event in January or February.

But, he said, “if someone doesn't bring this up now and try to get it rolling, we're going to lose another one.”

Council was on board with the idea but suggested it check with the Jaycees, who organize the holiday parade, to see if they would like any help.

“They do a great job with what they got,” said Carroll. “I'd be willing to sit down and meet with anybody and see what we can get worked out and get some volunteers.”

Seymore said he wanted to help, but said he did not think he was able to oversee the parade's revival. In 1960, Whitmire had a population of 2,663 and 1,512 in 2000, according to the US Census Bureau.