Rules and Conditions of Participation 1. **Santa Claus** No life-like or live Santas are permitted – the parade features one Santa, who will appear at the end. 2. **Candy** **Absolutely no candy throwing** is allowed. Candy must be distributed through hand-to-hand transfer only. 3. **Lights** All floats and vehicles participating in the parade must display Christmas lights. For those in the float competition, lights must go beyond vehicle headlights. Christmas lights are required on all vehicles and floats! 4. **Fire Extinguishers** Any float with a generator must have at least one 4-pound dry chemical or 10-pound carbon dioxide fire extinguisher within easy reach of the float’s driver. 5. **Safety Meetings** All drivers and a representative for the kids' drop-off area must attend one parade safety meeting at the Forsyth-Monroe County Chamber of Commerce (57 N. Jackson Street, Forsyth). Meetings will be held on the following dates: - TBA 6. **Children** Children must be supervised by an adult at all times. Floats with children must have an adult supervisor present. An adult should escort children from the drop-off area to the float and accompany them when exiting at the end of the parade. 7.**Animals** All animals must be diapered or bagged to prevent droppings. Horses must be kept under control, four abreast, with no rearing or tricks allowed. 8. **Parade Route** The parade will begin on Tift College Drive, circle the Courthouse, proceed down Main Street, and end just after Tractor Supply Co. Detailed line-up and end procedures will be provided after application submission. 9. **Float Line-Up** Floats and vehicles must be in line by 6:00 p.m. Line-up begins at 5:00 p.m., with no entry before 5:00 p.m. Preliminary judging will start at 6:20 p.m., and floats will be judged again during the parade in front of City Hall. Float Competition Guidelines 1. All floats must be fully decorated before entering the line-up. No decoration is allowed on the street. 2. Decorations should reflect the parade theme. 3. Christmas Lights are required on all floats and vehicles. 4. Music is allowed but must fit the holiday or parade theme. Secular music not related to the holiday is prohibited. 5. Performing groups are limited to one routine, no longer than one minute, to be performed in front of the judges at Scoops. 6. Emergency vehicles may use lights, but *no sirens** are allowed. 7. Throwing candy or other items is strictly prohibited. Violators will be disqualified and banned from future parades. 8. Once the parade begins, riders must stay on the float, and walkers must continue walking—no climbing on or off vehicles. 9. All Drivers must use extreme caution in the line-up and parade route due to high foot traffic and bystanders, especially with children. Reckless driving, spinning the wheels, or revving the engine are strictly prohibited. Violators will be disqualified and banned from future parades. Always follow directions from police officers and parade officials. 10. Any entry with inappropriate displays or behavior will be removed from the parade. Dismantling Floats After the parade, **do not** dismantle floats in the kids’ drop-off area. Failure to comply may result in disqualification from future parades. It is your responsibility to dispose of any decorations or trash from your float. Plan a location to dismantle your float before the parade. Awards Floats will be judged on originality, workmanship, theme presentation, and use of lights. Professional or rented floats are welcome but will not be eligible for judging. Winners will be announced the next day unless unforeseen circumstances arise.