Wilmer’s Pioneer Days parade featured past city mayors

WILMER – The city of Wilmer’s Pioneer Days marked its 35th year of celebration last weekend.

The festivities began on Friday, Oct. 25 with a hometown parade and culminated on Sunday with a musical line-up that began at noon.

Wilmer residents launched the multi-day festival marking the city’s 100-year anniversary with a parade that featured several past mayors in attendance.

“Many citizens that reside within Wilmer expressed the need to highlight the previous public servants that held office as the Wilmer’s mayors,” said Wilmer Mayor Emmanuel Wealthy-William.

“Therefore, the 2019 Wilmer Legacy Ad Hoc Committee executed the need to celebrate all of the surviving mayors.”

At the head of the parade, former mayors including Ann Hester, 1987-1991; Linda Root, 2002-2004; Don Hudson, 2005-2008; Hector Casarez, 2011-2014; Casey Burgess, 2014-2018; and current mayor Wealthy-Williams, 2018-present kicked the parade off from Adam Park heading toward Dallas Avenue.

With quite a diversity over the years, Hester served as the city’s first female mayor; Casarez was Wilmer’s first Hispanic mayor and Wealthy-Williams is the city’s first African American mayor.

The mayor’s parade also represented local businesses, churches and the Type A and Type B Economic Community Development Corporations.

Additionally, the Pioneer Day’s parade featured Wilmer’s Queen, Jenne, a 2019 Scholarship recipient who was crowned “Miss 2019 Wilmer Queen.”

Wilmer has grown so much, and many things have transitioned within the city.

The representation of the parade was to honor the city’s rich history and to reflect on the growth and diversity of Wilmer.

The mayors were followed by the school band along with other residents and participants.

All about uniting the community and reflecting on the history of the city, the celebration began Friday evening with a DJ followed by La Tercia De Wilmer and ending the first night with Banda Tamborazo Xeinco.

On Saturday following the 10 a.m. parade, a full day of activities included vendors, live entertainment, bumper cars and a mechanical bull.

On Sunday, a musical line-up kept the crowd entertained for the 35th anniversary wrap-up.

“The festival has brought family and friends together to feast, play, and dance the night away.

“More importantly, to have a great time,” Wealthy-Williams concluded.