It will be a little back to the future for Mineola parades this fall.

The Mineola High School homecoming, Veteran’s Day and Christmas parades will proceed as scheduled, unless more stringent measures are adopted by the state.

Mayor Kevin White has final authority to approve such gatherings and gave the go-ahead with some changes and restrictions.

The parade routes will begin at the usual spot along Graham St. at Broad St. (Hwy. 80) and proceed west along Broad. But they will terminate at the Church of Christ on W. Broad, which is where parades usually ended until recent years.

There will be no gatherings, such as the pep rally for homecoming Oct. 2 and the ceremony for the veteran’s parade at the gazebo, at the end of the events.

And candy may not be thrown from parade vehicles.

White says parade goers should be able to spread out along the lengthy parade route. Parades should be able to be held responsibly, he said.

But the city council decided to get more information before approving two requests for downtown events by the chamber of commerce: trunk or treat on Halloween and an event ahead of the Christmas parade on Dec. 5.

Mayor Pro Tem Sue Jones said she would like to see a layout of the vendors prior to approving the requests to close Johnson and Commerce Streets for the events.

The chamber has proposed spreading out the vendors, having hand sanitizer stations and publicizing social distancing and mask wearing ahead of the events.

The Christmas event is an effort to bring an activity to downtown after the May Fiesta and Iron Horse Festival in September had to be canceled.

The council plans a special meeting in the next two weeks to consider the requests, as well as other items delayed by a computer crash at city hall late last week.

Council members Cassandra Sampson and Greg Hollen expressed concerns about the ability to follow health guidelines with the large number of people who congregate for trunk or treat.

“They are lined up for blocks, body to body,” Jones said.

White also noted that the restrictions from the state could change before those events.

Council member Polly Jones noted that the children are already attending school indoors, and it is being managed well.

The council approved an event at the Mineola Nature Center on Nov. 21 which will serve as a grand opening for the disc golf course.