NEW BERN, N.C. (WITN) – The Budweiser Clydesdales made their way through New Bern on Friday, parading around the downtown area as crowds gathered to watch and take photos.
They began at Union Point Park, with people lining the streets as the horses made their way through the city.
The visit marks the first time the Clydesdales have been in New Bern since 2016, following several days at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.
City leaders say the stop wasn’t something they initially planned. Instead, Adams Beverages reached out while the Clydesdales were already scheduled to be in the area.
“So, we were reached out to by Adams Beverages, and they are the ones hosting the Clydesdales, and they were already coming to an event in the area,” said Karen Sullivan, executive director of Swiss Bear. “They said, we would really love it if you guys would host them downtown. Are you interested in that? We, of course, said yes.”
Hitch handler Alec Smith says the team travels with 10 horses, but only eight are used at a time to keep them fresh during appearances. He says New Bern stands out as a favorite stop along the East Coast.
“New Bern is honestly a pretty cool place. We came on over, Cherry Point was a huge hit for us, and while we were in town, we had to stop on into New Bern and check out the historical, amazing town you guys have around here,” Smith said.
Smith says the Clydesdales are on the road around 300 days out of the year, traveling from city to city, while making sure the horses are well cared for along the way.
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