Clydesdales star in Old Town Bluffton parade

A cheer went up over Calhoun Street Tuesday afternoon as three giant, fire-engine-red trailers came into view.

The crowd in Old Town Bluffton — sweaty, excited and, in a few cases, a bit tipsy — had been waiting for hours for this moment. They knew exactly what was inside those trailers: eight Budweiser Clydesdales.

The famous 2,000-pound horses were the star of Tuesday’s parade, which celebrated the sixth anniversary of the Old Town Dispensary.

“It kicks off the (spring) season,” Bluffton Mayor Lisa Sulka said of the event. “I love this.”

While not yet officially spring, it felt more like summertime Tuesday afternoon, with temperatures hovering in the mid-80s.

The crowd was undeterred by the heat, packing bars, restaurants and sidewalks all around Bluffton’s historic district.

Parade organizers estimated about 3,000 people turned out for the event — the second time in as many years the Clydesdales have clomped through town.

“The community came out in full force,” Old Town Dispensary owner Thomas Viljac said. “Everyone is getting their photo (opportunities). There are a lot of kids, and moms and dads here — that’s what it’s all about.”

Eric Trafton brought his daughters Garner, 11, and Spencer, 8, to the parade.

The girls saw the Clydesdales last year, “but I couldn’t make it,” Trafton said. “I wasn’t going to miss it this time.”

Garner was thrilled to get another chance to see the giant animals up close.

“I ride horses, so horses are really big in my life,” she said.

Spencer’s favorite part of the parade wasn’t the Clydesdales but their companion and co-star, Barley the Dalmatian.

The horses and their canine compatriot took about five hours primping and preparing for Tuesday’s event, Dave Thomas with Budweiser said.

“There are a lot of moving parts getting something like this organized,” he said.

The Clydesdales team, which is based in New Hampshire, spends about 45 weeks per year on the road and makes up to five appearances per week.

While the schedule might be grueling, the conditions for the horses are anything but, Thomas said.

“They are very pampered. They have a very, very good life.”

If you missed Tuesday’s parade, there are other opportunities to see the Clydesdales in the area later this week.

The horses will make an appearance Thursday in Savannah as part of the city’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

On Friday, they will be in Tybee Island’s parade.

During their stay in the Lowcountry, the Clydesdales are housed at a stable at Southern Eagle Distributing, 1320 U.S. 80 West in Savannah.

The public is welcome to visit the horses there between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. every day through Friday.

This story was originally published March 15, 2016 at 3:04 PM with the headline "Clydesdales star in Old Town Bluffton parade."