The Holiday Caravan Parade has been an annual tradition for years, but has been canceled this year. The parade that takes place during Thanksgiving in Spencer, North Carolina decided last year that it wouldn’t allow LGBT (rainbow) families from marching. The organizers said that a float sponsored by AVITA Pharmacy that invited PFLAG members couldn’t participate because of the “rainbow paraphernalia and black PFLAG T-shirts.”

The also said that the pharmacy violated the rules by advertising their message with “signage, apparel, fliers.”

Instead of allowing LGBT families to openly march, the 58-year-old tradition will not go ahead this year.

A statement on the parade’s website says: “…since last year’s parade the all volunteer board members have received hate mail, emails, and threats to protest the 2018 parade to not only their personal email addresses, home addresses, social media but also to their place of employment.”

The pharmacy said: “Avita Pharmacy is deeply saddened to see this community become so divided through this situation,” the company wrote on Facebook. “We would love to see the Holiday Caravan parade carry on its long tradition of fun and celebration for the families of Salisbury and to do so in a manner that is welcoming and inclusive of all groups who represent the beautiful and diverse community of Salisbury.”