FERRIDAY, La. &045; The town of Ferriday ushered in the holiday season Saturday morning with its annual Christmas parade, complete with floats, candy and appropriately chilly winter weather.

&uot;It’s a good old cold day,&uot; said Marjorie Vogt, Ferriday resident and longtime parade judge. &uot;We’re ready for Christmas now.&uot;

As the 28 floats, cars, lumbering military vehicles and tractors wound their way down Ferriday’s crowded streets, children scrambled to catch candy and other treats.

Playing off the parade’s Western theme, &uot;Christmas on the Ranch,&uot; U.S. Rep. Bryant Hammett, D-Ferriday, tossed Mexican sombreros from his rancho on wheels.

Concordia Parish Sheriff Randy Maxwell, riding at the head of his anti-drug DARE caravan, tossed out fistfuls of addictively sweet tidbits.

Vidalia United Methodist Church mixed the reverent with the irreverent.

Young cowboys and Indians looked angelic against the slogan &uot;Christ came for everyone.&uot;

But at the same time, adult float riders shot lifelike yet tasty chocolate cow pies from a cow tail catapult into the crowd.

Boy Scout Bryce Lain, taking part in the festivities with his troop, said he had caught &uot;pocketfuls&uot; of peppermints, chocolates and lollipops.

&uot;It’s better than last year,&uot; he said.

Candies aside, Evelyn Parker said it was a sweet thing to see Ferriday’s residents getting into the Christmas spirit.

&uot;It’s good when the community gets together and just flows,&uot; Parker said.