BOSTON -- The committee responsible for a parade mocking pregnant teens in Gloucester has called the event a “regrettable” mistake, according to WickedLocalBeverly.com.

Organizers issued an apology Monday after footage of the parade circulated nationwide. The incident sparked criticism from Gloucester school officials and mayor Carolyn Kirk, who said she was “deeply offended” by several floats in Beverly Farms' "Horribles Parade."

“The committee is currently investigating how this happened to ensure it does not occur in the future,” organizers said. “The idea of the parade is to provide a community-based event that is amusing and entertaining. Because of this, the hurtful impact of these floats is regrettable and saddening.”

Three floats in the annual Fourth of July parade featured parodies of the Gloucester pregnancy crisis, including a phallic symbol equipped with a water hose, teenage girls with bulging stomachs, and two men in diapers riding a bicycle. One of the floats was awarded the $400, second-place prize, despite protest from three judges who walked away from the contest.

The Pride’s Crossing Association, which organizes the yearly event, said that the parade is known for lampooning local and national news, and claimed that it had envisioned the floats differently when planning the event. Committee members would not comment on who was in charge of the parade this year, according to WickedLocalBeverly.com.

Beverly Farms City Councilor Judith Cronin, who marched in the parade with other city officials, called the display a “bad choice.”

“My general reaction is I would say the insensitive floats are not reflective of the community of Beverly Farms and the city of Beverly,” Cronin said. She added that she had only seen one of the floats before she was called away to a family emergency.