64th ANNUAL HIGHLANDS EVENT: Spooktacular Jamboree has chills, thrills

Participants in the 2021 Children’s Pageant categories of Little Mister and Little Miss pose for a group photo with their trophies, after the pageant.
Participants in the 2021 Children’s Pageant categories of Little Mister and Little Miss pose for a group photo with their trophies, after the pageant.

HIGHLANDS – After taking a year off for the COVID Pandemic, the town came to life last Saturday and celebrated a combination of Halloween and the 64th Annual Jamboree.

The Theme for the Parade was “Spooktacular” and some of the units and their occupants were decorated in scary costumes.

The Jamboree was somewhat scaled down this year, but nevertheless 25 units were in the parade, including the Parade Marshal, Goose Creek’s Superintendent Randal O’Brien, who was also the Highlands Chamber’s Terry Davis Award winner this year.

Also in the parade were Highlands Fire Department fire equipment, Constable Eagleton’s cars and deputies, Miss Highlands and Jr. Miss Highlands, Pct. 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia’s staff, Chamber of Commerce lead car, First Baptist Church, GCM Dazzlers and Charms, Highlands softball and little league teams, Childrens’ Pageant contestants, Shriners, modified race cars, HJS Cheerleaders and Marching Band, a 4-H float with the Sweetheart & Beau, and even a lawnmower!

Prize winning units are listed in a box on Page 1 of this issue. Judges for the Parade were Emmelee Lopez, Jorge Moreno, and Jennifer Woods McCann.

After the parade, activity moved to the Highlands Elementary School multipurpose room. There was a silent auction, exhibitors booths from Precinct 2, and vendors with food and crafts.

The highlight of the day was definitely the Childrens’ Pageant, with Lil Mister and Lil Miss strutting on-stage to the delight of the audience, filled with family and friends. Several hundred attended the show, taking pictures and cheering for their favorite child or grandchild.

Emcee for the Pageant was Miss Highlands Haley Maxey, with the assistance of Pageant Chairwoman Jessica Woods.