Strike up the band and get to building your floats!

Let's deck the halls from the North Pole to the South Pole and every land in between as we celebrate

the 2023 Christmas Parades!!!

Saturday, December 9, 2023 - 12:00pm

Saturday, December 9, 2023

Inverness Christmas Parade

Parade participants are encouraged to decorate in accordance to the Christmas theme "Christmas Movies".  Vehicles and/or floats that are not decorated for the holidays, will not be permitted to paricipate in the parade route.

Parade Rules & Information:

• Proof of Insurance, Waivers, Disclaimers, and completed registration applications (on line)  must be completed/submitted by November 25, 2023 - 5:00pm.
• Please remember, upon check-in day of, to move quickly to your space/staging.  Here you will begin final touches on your float.  If a vehicle is assisting in load-in, please drop and move quickly.  Please make these arrangements prior to day of check-in (Missy at events@citruscountychamber.com).
• Check-in location:  The "stadium entrance of Citrus High School, located off West Highland Blv.  Please have all information at the time of check-in, ex: name of business and/or your assignment number, in order to expedite and prevent stacking on West Highland.  Check in time, to be provided at a later date.
• Businesses may have up to (2) units (vehicles, boats, motorhome, RV).  If you need more than (2) units, please select the additional option and submit the $20 payment upon filling out applicaiton.  additional vehicles arriving day of, who have not registered, will be turned away.
• LEO, First Responders, Front Line Nurses, Military, Government Officials (seated), High School bands, drill teams, color guard and/or flag core, the 2021 reigning Floral City Strawberry Festival Pageant Prince(s) and Princess(es) are at NO CHARGE to participate.  However, registration is still required on line.  
• Please provide a chaperone(s) for children under 12.  It is suggested that children under 10 yrs of age, remain on the float at all times.  There are no stopping areas to safely load-in throughout the parade route.
• Parade will begin at the County Bus Garage, proceeding South on Main Street, turning on West Highlands.  The CCSO will assist in directions, please NO STOPPING on W Highland Blv, and NO Disembarking during parade route.  With the assistance of CCSO, you may turn on a side street, and move your vehicle to another location to disembark at the END of the PARADE route.
• Judges will be located at Angelo's Italian Restuarant.  Please have your number, visible on the passengar side of the float.  Performance time, may be possible, more information to follow as we approach the parade.
• Floats may be decorated on both sides, in the Inverness parade.  However, as a reminder, the assignment number of your float is to be visible for the judges on the passengar side of your vehicle.
• Santa and Mrs. Claus are the GRAND FINALE.  PLEASE NO SANTA and/or MRS. CLAUS on yoru float and/or vehicle.  You will be asked to withdraw from the parade, with no refund given.
• Please secure all decorations, safely.  All are encouraged to play Christmas and/or holiday cheer.
• ABSOLUTELY no THROWING, PROPELLING, SHOOTING, TOSSING Projectory Objects and/or CANDY from cars, boats, float, vehicle.  You may, however, pass out candy (suggested) provide an "Elf" to walk along the "sidewalk" and hand out candy, beads, literature, cards.  Please be advised, there is no stopping of vehicles for the "Elf" to catch up to said float.  Violaters of this rule will NOT be permitted to particpate in future Chamber of Commerce parades.  
• All animal entries, MUST  provide their own clean up crew.
• No more than 15 vehicles per car club, motorcyle club, motorcross, and/or ATV group.  No stunts, tire squealing,  and or burnouts permitted.

Awards Mixer: 

Thursday, December 21, 2023

TBA 

Categories:

Best Commercial, Best Non-Commercial, Best Religious/Denominational,

Best Education/School  & The Judges' Choice Award

To View the Parade:
Park along W. Main St. beginning in the area of Cherry Ave. (Next to Taco Bell), the parade will enter W. Main St. by Dunkin Donuts and head east toward downtown Inverness, then turn off at E. Grace St. right after Mama's Kuntry Kafe. The parade will then follow Grace St. towards HCA Florida Citrus Hospital, following the curve to the right, turning left to continue on to Grace St., turning left on S. Line Ave., then turning right onto  W. Highland Blvd., ending at Citrus High School.

Traffic Detour Information:

Main Street will be closed from Hwy. 44 East to Montgomery Ave. All traffic will be detoured around Main Street via Montgomery Ave. and W. Highland Blvd. N. Apopka Ave., E. Dampier Street, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. will be closed; traffic will be detoured down E. Dampier St. to N. Seminole Ave. onto Tompkins St. Grace St. will be closed; all traffic will be detoured via W. Highland Blvd.

• Gospel Island residents will use Zephyr Street and Tompkins St. to Hwy. 41 North.
• Highlands South community can utilize alternate routes to 41 South by utilizing Hill Street and Inverness Blvd and Pleasant Grove Road by utilizing West Arbor Street.

Road Closures will begin at 10:45 AM and are estimated to last until 2:00 PM.