Inverness Christmas Parade - 2024

Citrus County Chamber annual Christmas Parades. Two Towns, Two Parades, Two (different) Days, ONE GREAT TIME! Crystal River Parade - Saturday, December 7th | 6:00 p.m. Inverness Parade - Saturday, December 14th | 12:00 p.m. Please note, there are TWO registrations for 2024. Each city has it's own registration. If you are wishing to be in BOTH parades, you will be required to fill out both Crystal River and Inverness Parade Applications.

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 2024 Christmas Parades!!!

 

Saturday, December 14, 2024 - 12:00pm  

 

Saturday, December 14, 2024 Inverness Christmas Parade

 

Parade Rules, Guidelines & Other Information

PARADE APPLICATIONS, PROOF OF INSURANCE AND DISCLAIMERS

DUE SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2024, by 5 p.m.

 

The commercial entry fee is per unit:  Businesses can have up to two trucks, cars, boats, motor homes, etc.  Truck with a trailer is considered one unit.  More than two units per entry will be an additional $20 per unit. Entrant may not bring additional non-paid units on the date of the parade.   

 

No Fee Registrations:  LEO, First Responders, Military Groups, (Seated) Government Officials, school bands/drill teams, and the 2024 Floral City Strawberry Pageant Prince/Princess.

 

Crystal River Parade Check-in & Route Information will be sent out prior to December 7, 2024.

Inverness Check-In & Route Information will be sent out prior to December 14, 2024.

 

Please make sure everyone in your group knows what name parade entry was registered (ex: Lollygaggers Float). Please be sure children are accompanied by an adult.  IF the child is under 10 years of age, we recommend they ride on the float. There is not a point within the parade route, to stop and load in. Please note, be sure you share your float registration number with all participants in your group. This will assist our check-in volunteers in “pointing you” in the correct direction of your float/vehicle/group performance. For the safety of all pedestrian foot traffic, vehicles will not be permitted travel up/down the streets once floats/parade vehicles/performers are in place.  

 

Judging and Guidelines:  

Award Categories:  Best Commercial Entry, Best Non-Commercial Entry, Best Religious Entry, Best School-Related Entry, The Judges Choice Award

• Judges will be along the parade route.
• Numbers will be handed out at staging check-in. These need to be placed on the car in a clear visible location on the passenger side of the entry for the judges.
• Crystal River and Inverness - Floats will be viewed from both sides. All entries must be decorated and should be appropriate with the entry theme. Please ensure that decorations are well attached.

• To avoid any confusion, Santa and Mrs. Claus are the GRAND FINALE (both parades). Santa is not to be included on ANY other float in the parade(s). Please note, if you do not comply with this rule, your float will not be allowed to participate in the parade, and your entry fee will not be refunded. 

• All entries are encouraged to use appropriate music and creativity to add to the festive atmosphere of the parade. Please be considerate when setting the volume control while out on the parade route and in the staging area.

• Due to space limitations, entries such as car clubs, tractors, motorcycles, 4-wheelers, etc. please keep registration to no more than 15 vehicles. Vehicles are not permitted to do any stunts, this includes burn outs, power slides, "donuts", etc. Please always keep wheels on the ground or you will not be permitted to return in 2025. 
• All animal entries shall have a clean-up crew. NO EXCEPTIONS.

 

• Absolutely no throwing, tossing, propelling from your float, vehicle, ATV, etc. candy, beads, glow sticks. This includes brochures, pamphlets, maps, flyers, business cards, booklets, advertising of any kind. You may provide an “Elf” to walk along the “sidewalk” side and pass out the above mentioned.  Failure to comply (no throwing of items) by a parade participant, will result in participant’s float/vehicle being removed from the parade, and not invited back to future parades.

 

 Chamber Christmas Parade Award Mixer

Thursday, December 20, 2024

TBA

5p-7p

 

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

 

Parade Rules & Information:

• Proof of Insurance, Waivers, Disclaimers, and completed registration applications (online) must be completed/submitted by November 30th, 2024 - 5:00pm.
• Please remember, upon check-in day of, to move quickly to your space/staging.  Here you will begin the final touches to 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:  Behind Big Lots at the corner of SE 1st Terrace and Three Sisters Springs Blvd., Crystal River.  Please have all the information at the time of check-in, ex: name of business and/or your assignment number, to expedite and prevent stacking on Three Sisters Springs Blvd.  Check in time, to be provided later.
• 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 the application.  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 2024 reigning Floral City Strawberry Festival Pageant Prince(s) and Princess(es) are at NO CHARGE to participate.  However, registration is still required online.  
• Please provide a chaperone(s) for children under 12.  It is suggested that children under 10 yrs. of age, always remain on the float.  There are no stopping areas to safely load-in throughout the parade route.
• Crystal River Parade will begin at the South end of the intersection Hwy 44 at NW 3rd Street. The CCSO will assist with directions, please NO STOPPING on Hwy 44, 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.
• Crystal River Parade Judges will be located at Lowman's Law - Crystal River.  Please have your number visible on the passenger side of the float.  Performance time may be possible, more information to follow as we approach the parade.
• Inverness 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 Blvd., 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.
• Inverness Parade Judges will be located at Angelo's Italian Restaurant.  Please have your number visible on the passenger side of the float.  Performance time may be possible, more information to follow as we approach the parade.
• Floats need to be decorated on both sides.  However, as a reminder, the assignment number of your float is to be visible for the judges on the passenger side of your vehicle.
• Santa and Mrs. Claus are the GRAND FINALE.  PLEASE NO SANTA and/or MRS. CLAUS on your 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 Protectory 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.  Violators of this rule will NOT be permitted to participate in future Chamber of Commerce parades.  
• All animal entries MUST provide their own clean-up crew.
• No more than 15 vehicles per car club, motorcycle club, motorcross, and/or ATV group.  No stunts, tire squealing, or burnouts permitted.

 

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.