There might not have been any cuter of a scene at last weekend’s Appomattox Railroad Festival than Sunday afternoon’s Teddy Bear Parade. Thirteen small children, including infants, participated in the parade while showing their teddy bears, going down Main Street alongside family members and siblings — some riding a mini train and others walking behind in strollers or wagons.

As a former Teddy Bear Parade participant as a child, bringing back the Teddy Bear Parade after a four-year absence was a personal mission of Stacy Purcell, who is the second vice chair of the Appomattox Historic Railroad Festival Committee and also recognized the “cuteness factor” of the event.

“I think it is the cutest, and the kids enjoy it,” Purcell said. “They get to decorate their teddy bears and wagons and be a part of the Sunday festivities. It’s something near and dear to my heart because I remember being in the Teddy Bear Parade in the early ’90s. I used to decorate my bears, and we would line up and come on down Main Street with our teddy bears. It gives the little ones something to look forward to on Sunday. So, I decided to bring it back, and I’m glad I did.”

There’s more to this in the current issue of the Times Virginian newspaper. Support local journalism by purchasing the issue at a local newsstand or subscribing at www.timesvirginian.com/subscriber_services to receive the print edition or view the full article in the e-edition version.