First Labor Day parade in Canton since mill closure is 'something you can't miss'

CANTON - Fifty-two years ago on Sept. 4, Gail Mull and her husband said, "I do," and then headed home quickly to ensure they didn't miss the Canton Labor Day parade. The longest lasting celebration in all of Western North Carolina is a hometown staple, so much so that the Mulls planned their wedding day around it.

"I was born and raised with the Labor Day parade. We look forward to it all year long," Mull told the Citizen Times at this year's parade.

Over 100 homemade floats traveled through downtown Canton on Sept. 4, showcasing farmers, elected officials, and nonprofits. The parade started in 1906 marking this Labor Day its 115th year. The town claims it is the longest-running Labor Day parade in the South.

Hundreds of people of all ages lined up along Main Street, as the floats passed by throwing out candy and yelling, "Happy Labor Day!"

Children, and even the adults, ran out into the middle of the street to pick up as much candy that could fit in their hands.

This is the first year since the Canton paper mill shut down that area residents are observing Labor Day. The mill closed in June after a century of operation. It had employed more than 1,000 residents in a town with roughly 4,300 people.

Pactiv Evergreen, the packaging company that owns the mill, announced the closure on March 6 with under 90 days of notice for Canton residents.

Construction began on the mill in 1908, only 16 years into the town’s history. The town’s population is said to have grown from 230 to 1,393 between 1900 and 1910 due to the availability of jobs through the mill.

The mill is positioned adjacent to downtown, making it the backdrop of the parade.

Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers has helped put on the parade since 2017 when he got elected, but he's been attending for much longer.

"You don't miss Labor Day in Canton," Smathers told the Citizen Times. Smather, 40, said he's never missed a parade.

Smathers added the parade is all about being able to escape from the challenges that people have faced in Canton within the past year.

"We need moments to catch our breath," Smathers said. "The last serval months have been exceptionally tiring and challenging and so having at least a few hours or more to escape from that is important. It centers us and it reminds us of what we are fighting for."

'Canton will thrive'

Elizabeth Smith, "Miss Labor Day," stood on a float and waved to the crowd along Main Street. Smith is a senior at Pisgah High School and has been in the parade every year since she was 2 years old. She holds Labor Day close to her heart as her dad was a third-generation worker at the mill.

"It's been hard, but one thing about Canton is we always stay together and today is a time to come together as a community," Smith told the Citizen Times.

Rhonda Cole, who has been going to the parade for 59 years, has been featured in it several times as a cheerleader, batonist, and even "Miss baby Labor Day."

"My grandfather, father, cousins, aunts and uncles all worked at the mill," said Cole, holding back tears.

"Today means hope. It means that Canton will be OK ― better than OK, Canton will thrive."

Sitting on the lawn waiting to watch the performances planned for the day were Mark and Suzanne Biery. The two just moved to Canton from Florida, making this their first Canton Labor Day. The couple were also celebrating their 30th year wedding anniversary.

"Today has been everything we hoped for," Suzanne Biery said.

Steve Wilson, the director of the Green Valley Cloggers, worked in the paper mill for over 40 years.

"It's devastating what happened," Wilson told the Citizen Times. "A lot of people just had to leave, but having the mill as a backdrop of the festival is a beautiful tribute."

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There were also dozens of food trucks and booths at Sorrells Park where people could shop and eat after the parade. One booth had "Mill Town 48" written across it ― Mark and Jennifer Anderson were selling their famous barbecue sauce. The couple are newer residents to Canton but named their barbecue sauce "Mill Town" because it felt fitting, they said.

"There's a sense of community here that's undeniable," Jennifer Anderson said.

McKenna Leavens is the education reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at mleavens@citizentimes.com or follow her on Twitter @LeavensMcKennna. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Canton celebrates its 115th Labor Day parade