With Easter just around the corner, First National Bank of Brundidge is renewing an old tradition that has just about fallen by the wayside – that of the Easter “bonnet” parade.

In year’s past, ladies would parade in their Easter bonnets in hopes of their “topper” being selected the grandest of them all.

But, with “bonnets” giving way to a more casual springtime look, the parades have almost become obsolete events. So, First National Bank employees decided to revive the old tradition and invited the entire community to join the Easter bonnet parade.

“Jimmy and Johnnie Ramage (First National Bank CEO and his wife) really enjoy decorating for all occasions,” said Bonnie Dansby, bank receptionist. “One year, they suggested that we all decorate pumpkins to look like ourselves and that was fun for all of us and everyone else seemed to enjoy it, too. We all have a good time around the holidays.”

Dansby said that last year at Easter the bank employees were talking about Easter traditions and Johnnie Ramage suggested that it would be fun to designate one day for all the employees to wear Easter bonnets.

“But we really didn’t have time to get anything planned so this year we decided to start in plenty of time to involve, not only the bank employees, but other businesses in town and the community, too,” Dansby said.

“And, the Troy branch will be involved so this could be a communitywide event.”

The 2011 Easter Bonnet Eggstravaganza is planned for Friday, April 22 and ladies, and men, too, if they want to wear Sunday hats, are invited to create a bonnet, fish an old one out of the closet or buy a brand new one and join the Easter Bonnet Parade.

“We think this will be a real fun event for everyone and, hopefully, it will become an annual event,” Dansby said.

“We’re going to have some light refreshments at the bank on April 22 and might even give a prize or two. But we know for sure that we are going to take photographs of those who are willing and put them on our Facebook page.”

What fun it will be to see people around town wearing Easter bonnets – a glace back at yesteryear.

“We know that bonnets have nothing to do with the real meaning of Easter,” Dansby said.

“And, we certainly don’t want to imply anything like that. The Easter Bonnet Eggstravaganza is just a celebration of spring and a way to bring our community together in a fun and fancy – or not so fancy – way.”

First National Bank invites women, children and men, too, to think bonnets – simple, elegant, funny, homemade, store bought or second hand – and then think Easter Bonnet Eggstravaganza.