Budweiser Clydesdales to make appearance in Bluff Park Thursday
The Budweiser Clydesdale horses are scheduled to make a public appearance in Hoover on Thursday, Nov. 10, ahead of their participation in the National Veterans Day Parade in Birmingham on Friday, Nov. 11.
The horses and their famous beer wagon are supposed to be at the Piggly Wiggly in Bluff Park Village from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday for an educational show, a trot and photo opportunities for attendees.
Budweiser uses eight of the horses for public appearances but always travels with 10 horses to provide rest for the horses as needed, according to a press release from Adams Beverages, a beer distributor that brought the horses into town.
They began their visit to the Birmingham area Wednesday with a visit with the Special Equestrians group that uses horses to provide support for people with physical, cognitive or emotional challenges.
On Friday, the Clydesdales, rain or shine, will lead the 75th annual National Veterans Day Parade in downtown Birmingham, starting at 11 a.m. The Clydesdales will carry the parade’s grand marshal, Larry Lebeda, who creates life-sized soldiers for Gold Star families across the country as a commemoration of their sacrifices.
After the parade, the Clydesdales’ hitch team will be at a parade after-party at Carrigan’s Public House at 2430 Morris Avenue in Birmingham from 4 to 6 p.m.
Then on Saturday, the Clydesdales will be on full display again from 2 to 4 p.m. for the Lakeview District Trot Parade on 29th Street South, trotting through the neighborhood to carry Budweiser to restaurants and bars in Lakeview.
The horses will complete their visit to the Birmingham-Hoover metro area on Sunday with a visit to the Cullman Christmas Market Open House at 209 First Ave. N.E. in Cullman from 1 to 4 p.m.
The Clydesdales, which have been the symbol of Anheuser-Busch for more than 75 years, make hundreds of appearances each year.
While the horses are groomed daily, special attention is given to their appearance on performance days. The expert groomers who travel with the horses spend about five hours washing and grooming the horses, polishing the harness, braiding red and white ribbons into their manes, and inserting red and white bows into their tails.
The traveling caravan includes three 50-foot tractor-trailers custom built for the horses with rubber flooring, air suspension and vent fans to ease the rigors of hours on the road. Two tractor-trailers carry the Clydesdales, and a third carries everything else including the iconic beer wagon and a full set of handcrafted, patent leather and solid brass harnesses.
“This is a momentous occasion for Adams to have the opportunity to bring the World Famous Budweiser Clydesdales here to Birmingham,” said Adams Beverages General Manager Brendan Finnigan in a press release. “The Clydesdales represent more than just Budweiser. They embody America’s industrial spirit as a whole, making them the perfect addition to lead such an important event like the 75th Annual National Veterans Day Parade, honoring those who put their lives on the line for American freedom.”