COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A parade is kicking off a celebration of South Carolina's best teachers.

The annual Teacher of the Year ceremony begins Tuesday with a parade to the Columbia Convention Center. More than 80 district-level winners will leave the Hilton hotel at 5:30 p.m. for the one-block walk. A marching band will accompany them.

Event organizer South Carolina Future Minds invites residents to join the parade to honor the public school teachers.

The official festivities begin at 6 p.m.

The state's 2012-13 teacher of the year will be announced about 9 p.m. The top teacher gets to drive a BMW X3 for the next year provided by the automaker, the event's premier sponsor.

The five finalists hail from Florence District 5, Greenville and Kershaw counties, Lexington District 2 and Richland District 1.