With the influx of people and families moving into Forsyth County, many may neither be old enough nor have been in the area long enough to have witnessed the first time a procession of steam engines paraded down the streets of Cumming, shaking the ground and small children’s ears with their noise.

The annual Thomas-Mashburn Steam Engine Parade will rumble through downtown for the 60th time this July 4, beginning at 10 a.m. About 20-30 engines, led by Mayor H. Ford Gravitt, members of the City Council and veterans and followed by antique cars and floats full of local politicians, businesses, church groups and nonprofits, will begin at Forsyth Central High School and travel down Tribble Gap Road to the Cumming Fairgrounds.

The engines are a nod to Forsyth’s agrarian past.

“A.G. Thomas, Dr. Jim Mashburn and Dr. Marcus Masjburn were all avid collectors of steam engines, and their family and friends have maintained and added to their unique collections,” the event’s website said.

The procession usually lasts about two hours, said Amy Webb, an organizer of the parade.

This year, the parents of 1st Lt. Weston C. Lee will be the parade’s Grand Marshals. Lee was killed in action at the end of April.

Webb said about 100 entries typically are involved in the parade.

There is a 60 percent chance of rain on Sunday evening, but the forecast, as of Thursday, looked only partly cloudy for Tuesday.

Is it suggested that parents bring earplugs or earmuffs for young children, as the noise that emits from the steam engines is loud and booming.

Officials also always urge caution to parents to not let children run past the ropes into the street to collect candy that falls short.