Apr. 8—Hundreds flocked to downtown Muskogee on Saturday to enjoy Clydesdales, crawfish and plenty of produce.

First thing in the morning, people crowded Muskogee Farmers’ Market to get their first bunches of carrots and greens, plus their first sips of minty, citrusy lemonade.

Darzella Newton of Muskogee said she comes to the market every chance she gets.

“I like the pecans, I like the onions, I like everything, the greens,” she said.

Cassie Pierce, who manages the market, said there are several new vendors this year.

“So we’ll have even more to offer than before,” Pierce said. “We’ll start with lots of greens and roots, then we’ll start having onions, cabbage and broccoli. In June, we’ll start having lots of cucumbers.”

The market will run through October at Muskogee Civic Center’s covered parking area.

People of all ages gathered along Broadway for the 54th Annual Azalea Parade at 11 a.m.

Kim June, 68, found a spot at Hunt’s Greenspace to watch the parade with a friend.

“I’ve been here 30 years, and I think I have been to almost all of them because I like supporting my community,” she said. “And I like supporting the people that’s in the parade also.”

Parade grand marshal, “Oklahoma Gardening” host Casey Hentges, waved from a wagon pulled by a team of Clydesdale horses. This year’s parade featured variety of other vehicles, including Model T Fords, colorful Jeeps and a pedal-powered float from Love Bottling.

Anzley Lukeheart and her family were in Muskogee at just the right time. She said the family came from Utah to visit friends and family. Family members came brought their children, who were all dressed in green and white checks. Lukeheart said it was the first parade for her 4-year-old son Jameson. The boy waved at floats and joined mobs of children picking up candy thrown onto the street.

Trucks from area volunteer fire departments brought up the end of the parade. When boys yelled “honk it, honk it,” drivers of Mountain View’s fire truck obliged by sounding the siren.

At the Bedouin Shrine’s Creole Festival, vendors held on to their covered pavilions while serving gumbo, red beans and rice, jambalaya and other spicy Louisiana specialties. Some vendors, such as red beans and rice vendor Sandy Lackey, decided to just let their shades go and serve their dishes in the sunshine.

Jerri Lyons, who lives in Eufaula, couldn’t decide what she liked best, saying “What’s not to like about cajun food?”

J.K Davidson said Shriners cooked right at 200 pounds of crawfish for a crawfish boil. People got mounds on their serving plates.

“So hopefully we’ll run out,” Davidson said.