The eighth annual Pickens County Veterans Parade was held the afternoon of Sunday, November 9, 2025, for the first time in downtown Easley after having been held in downtown Liberty seven times from the first one in November of 2018 through November of 2024. This writer has attended and reported on each veterans parade since the beginning.

This year’s event was hosted by American Legion Post 52 of Easley as well as the City of Easley. Post 52 Commander Gary Hinton spoke with The Pickens County Chronicle Sunday afternoon prior to the start of the parade. “The Veterans Day Parade is important, because it gives an opportunity for the community to stand behind our veterans,” he said. “It’s a good opportunity for our veterans to get some recognition, and they get out and have a little fun. Young children are always amazed to see us come out, and we give them a little flag, and they hold onto that. Veterans Day is a time of remembrance. It’s a time of sorrow. It’s a time of thanks. We have an annual Veterans Day program to remember those that have served or are still serving. When we signed that contract to go into the military, there was no expiration date on it. This is our way of trying to pay back to the community for the support that they give us.”

A day before the parade, Golden Creek Baptist Church in Liberty provided a meal for local veterans, as the church has done every year.

Leading the parade on Sunday afternoon were veteran motorcyclists, members of the Easley High School and Liberty High School JROTC, and Grand Marshal Congresswoman and veteran Sheri Biggs. Veterans either drove or were driven in Jeeps and other vehicles as local citizens lined the street to cheer them. Members of the American Legion Post 52 gave out small American flags to children.

State Senator Rex Rice spoke with The Pickens County Chronicle following the parade.  “It’s a wonderful event,” he said. “I’d love to see more people come out. These veterans and their families gave a lot for the freedoms that we have. So, we need to recognize them every chance we get.”