Five Hills royalty capture second 1st place parade win

Special to Leader-Press 

The rabbits were hopping in the colors of the hills on the City of Copperas Cove logo on each stand on the parade float of the Copperas Cove Five Hills royalty as they rolled through Saturday’s 39th annual Rabbit Fest Parade. These same rabbits could also be seen hopping in various locations all over the city float. The coordination of the titleholders’ pageant attire with the colorful hills and rabbits paid off as the float captured another first place trophy in its second parade of the season.
Five Hills Ambassador Briana Liles said it always feels great winning first place and representing Copperas Cove in parades, but it was even more special to win first place in her own hometown. 
“We do so much volunteering in our community and riding on that float, inspiring all the young girls to want to be princesses just like us, feels so good,” Liles said. “The pageant has helped so many find ways to be involved with volunteering. It feels good to represent our community and wave to some of the very same people that we serve throughout the city. They get to see us all dolled up instead of just serving in work clothes. Cove is truly a city built for family living and we are all so happy to represent the city for which we were chosen.”
Ingrid Kiefer, Domino’s Pizza Fort Hood Area Marketing Liaison, served as a parade judge, giving the float high marks.
“The royalty not only built the theme of the festival into their parade decorations, but they also coordinated what they were wearing to make for a very appealing and colorful entry,” Kiefer said. “The ambassador also had a presentation for us that shared a little bit about the group and what they do for the city.”
The royalty have entered two parades this year with the first being the Burnet Blue Bonnet Festival Parade where they also captured first place.
Following the parade, the royalty brought back a favorite activity of children to Rabbit Fest. Similar to a sack race, children lined up to climb into white nylon bags decorated with rabbits and reading, Bunny Hop, and race across the finish line. Junior Mister Five Hills Jackson Gibbs never ran out of energy in the two-hour activity. 
“The Bunny Hop was so much fun,” the kindergartener said. “We even did different obstacle courses and played Red Light/Green Light. I can’t wait to do it again next year.”
As children crossed the finish line, they received a medal to wear at the festival and a puzzle that created a picture of rabbits when completed. 
The next appearance for the city float is in Saturday’s Harker Heights Memorial Day Parade that begins at 9 a.m. and travels down Knight’s Way/FM 2410.