1947 Dairy Month Parade
The 1947 Dairy Month Parade was held at 2:30 PM on Thursday June 26, 1947 at the culmination of "June Dairy Month". The parade was held in downtown Birmingham with floats designed and constructed by William Saxon. Parade marshall was T. G. Brabeton.
The month-long campaign was designed to instruct Alabamians about the healthful benefits of milk and its by-products. It was observed throughout the state of Alabama and sponsored locally by the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce.
The main attraction of the parade was the presentation of "Miss Alabama Dairy Queen", as selected during a pageant the prior evening at the Hollywood Country Club. The queen was presented with a royal outfit by Loveman's department store and given a 4-day expense-paid trip to Daytona Beach, where she would be entered in the "Miss Dixie" pageant.
Contestants in the pageant represented local municipalities as well as dairies and other businesses. Among the 20 contestants were:
- Miss Tro-Fe (Gadsden), Peggy Elder
- Miss Jasper, Nancy McConnico
- Miss Kent Dairy, Anne Rohr
- Miss Certified Products, Peggy Morris
- Miss Barber's Dairy, Mary Lou Mitchell
- Miss Spinning Wheel, Betty Gayle Bailey
- Miss Foremost Farms, Virginia Crider
- Miss Sealtest, Olga Hoover
- Miss White Dairies, Lillian Nabors
- Miss Fuller Supply Company, Jean Langford
- Miss Fred S. Jones, Dot Balms
- Miss Homewood Dairy, Nina Grove
- Miss W. B. Baker & Sons, Leona Lassiter
- Miss Erwin Dairy, Peggy Blalock
- Miss Boggs Brokerage, Peggy Dennis
- Miss Sylacauga
- Miss Anniston
- Miss Boaz
- Miss Tuscaloosa
References
- "Big Parade to Climax Dairy Month." (June 1947) Birmingham News.