A parade through downtown Floyd at 3 p.m. Saturday caps a day of graduation for high school seniors who have spent the months of the year at home because of nationwide closings of schools as part of the Coronavirus pandemic lockdown.

After missing their prom, the graduates will also got a chance to at least walk across a stage in a scaled-down ceremony that begins at 9 a.m. Saturday in the Floyd County High School parking lot with seniors driving up to the lot in predetermined groups of 10 to then walk across the stage to pick up their diplomas off a table.

Each graduate is called by name by Assistant Principal Travis Cantrell as their parents watch from cars.

After 150 graduates receive their diplomas, School superintendent John Wheeler will confer the diplomas by announcement on the stage.

Two photographers hired by the school will photograph each student crossing the stage and picking up their diploma and Citizens Cooperative is streaming the graduation on its channels and on YouTube and will provide DVDs of the event to seniors. It will include footage of each graduate and pre-recorded speeches by the valedictorian, salutatorian and other honored students.

The 3 p.m. parade will feature the parents and their graduating offspring on a drive-through along the parade route on Rte. 8 down from Baker Street and turning north on U.S. 221.

Normal social distancing rules are recommended for those watching the parade and masks are required for anyone entering businesses or other enclosed public spaces in the town.