PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. — Several groups in Pigeon Forge gathered together Friday for a spectacular event — the 2022 Music in the Mountains Spring Parade.
It started at 6 p.m. and featured Cal Ripken, Jr. as the Grand Marshal. He is a Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and youth mentor, nicknamed "The Iron Man" who played 21 seasons with the Baltimore Orioles. He is also the chairman of Ripken Baseball.
The parade also included floats from Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia and Georgia. It was the first time the city held the parade since 2019 after it was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participants marched along the Parkway with local and visiting marching bands, along with character balloons. Organizers also said there were surprise musical performances across Pigeon Forge alongside the parade.