WHEELING, W.Va.—

After 27 years, officials with the Perkins Restaurant and Bakery Fantasy in Lights Parade are not allowing anyone to hand out candy, flyers, coupons or any other items once the parade has started.

"We have given warning after warning after warning about people throwing penny candy out to kids and then those kids, who get excited, going into the street and diving for that candy. They almost get hurt and we just can't take that risk anymore," said parade chairman Bill Bryson.

Bryson said that last year, a child almost got run over by a float going into the street trying to get candy.

"We've had numerous incidents the last few years, and it's really scary," said Bryson.

Those involved in the parade were told this morning by the committee that if they choose to hand out anything, it can be before or after the parade, not during.

"I've been instructed by the parade committee that if we see anyone handing anything out during the parade, they will be pulled aside, and even escorted out of the parade lineup. Safety of the kids is the number-one priority and we intend to enforce that," said Wheeling Police Deputy Chief Martin Kimball.

Meanwhile, Bryson says that there are 84 entries for this year's parade.

It will start at 6:30 p.m. You can watch it live on WTOV9, or wtov9.com.

Eric Minor and Natalie Herbick will be co-hosting the parade with Chamber of Commerce president Terry Sterling.

NEWS9’s Josh Eachus and Ryan Eldredge will be filing reports along the parade route. Meteorologist Jeff Oechslein and Philip Stahl will be riding on the WTOV9 float along with Snowbird.