Food vendors include those preparing food or drinks for consumption onsite. If your food is pre-packaged, please apply for an "Artisan & Interactive Booth" space.

SPACE IS LIMITED, APPLY EARLY!

All applicants are required to have a cherry item or cherry-themed item on their menu. Approved menus will be strictly enforced. The City of San Leandro attempts to limit the number of similar items. 

Applications for Food Vendors will be evaluated on the following criteria:

1. Quality and variety of food products.

2. Cherry food item.

3. Healthy food offerings (low fat, low sugar, etc.).

4. Duplication of products and services.

5. Returning food vendor in good standing with the City of San Leandro.

6. San Leandro based.

7. Date that the completed entry is received.

Vendor acceptance decisions are at the sole discretion of the City. The Festival reserves the right to admit duplicate businesses or extend exclusivity based on Festival size and needs.

Artisan vendors provide handcrafted or originally designed items for sale, which may include cherry-themed, packaged foods meant for in-home consumption. Only original handcrafted or originally designed articles or artwork will be accepted. No prefabricated art, molds, or craft kit items will be accepted. No dealers or distributors, please.

Interactive booths include face painting, sand art, wax hands, spin art, and other interactive pieces that the participants can purchase and take home or games such as spin the wheel, ring toss, etc.

The City of San Leandro is looking to provide festival participants with a wealth of information about volunteering, health/fitness, academic enrichment, faith-based groups, the arts, and much more. The City strongly encourages you to apply as a community resource for the Cherry Festival and share information about your agency with thousands of community members. 

A Cherry Festival Community Resource is an agency that provides important information pertaining to children, families, seniors, or other valuable social services in the San Leandro community. A community resource must be a certified 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and registered as a charity with the California Attorney General.

Applications for Community Resources will be evaluated on the following criteria:

1. Quality of information provided;

2. Uniqueness/non-duplication of information;

3. Returning community resources in good standing with the City;

4. San Leandro-based non-profit community resource;

5. Date that the completed entry is received.

Exhibitor acceptance decisions are at the sole discretion of the City. The Festival reserves the right to admit duplicate businesses or extend exclusivity based on Festival size and needs.

The Cherry Festival Parade will be held from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on East 14th Street in historic downtown San Leandro. It is less than one mile long and begins at the BART South Parking Lot on Parrot Street. The parade then heads North on E. 14th Street towards San Leandro Main Library on Estudillo Avenue.

We encourage all San Leandro residents, groups, and businesses to participate in this fun hometown tradition!

Family Friendly Atmosphere

All entries must be appropriate for audiences of all ages and cultures. The parade committee reserves the right to eliminate any entry that is not appropriate for our diverse audience.

Awards

All entries are eligible for an award, which the judges will review. Each entry can only win one award. Within two weeks of the event, award winners will be notified when and where they can pick up their award. The judges determine the awards during the parade. Award winners will also be posted on the city website, featured in the San Leandro Times, and shared via social media.

Parade awards are awarded in the following categories: 

• San Leandro Spirit Award 

• Cherry Parade Award 

• Creativity Award 

• Youthful Spirit Award 

• Musical Award 

• Judge’s Choice Award 

• School Award 

• Best Float Award 

• Association/Organization Award 

• Business Award 

Please Review the Participant Categories 

Marching Band 

A Marching Band Entry is an ensemble of musicians that march to the music for entertainment. A marching band typically includes brass, woodwinds, percussion instruments, drum majors and/or majorettes, and color guard. 

Youth & Youth Related Non-Profit 

Youth entries are comprised of youth or are non-profit groups with a primary purpose of serving youth in the community. These youth-related organizations, clubs, and youth groups may be certified as 501(C)3 organizations but do not have to be. This category includes such groups as Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts, church youth groups, school clubs, parent-teacher associations, schools, childcare centers, dance teams, karate, tae kwon do, youth sports teams/clubs, etc. Groups with children under 18 years of age will be required to have an adult chaperone. Adult chaperones must stay with the children throughout the parade and until all children are released to an authorized adult. One adult for every ten youths is encouraged. 

Non-Profit Organization & Community Entries

A Non-Profit Organization entry is an organization certified as a 501(C)3 organization. Community entries are any individual, family, group of friends/neighbors, classic car enthusiasts, or other organizations, clubs, or neighborhood groups. Signage shall reflect only the name of the non-profit, group, or individual. 

Animals 

Animal entries may be comprised of an organized group or just a group that wants to showcase its animals. The organization may or may not be certified as a 501(c) 3. This category includes groups such as dog or cat rescues, dog or cat clubs, and horse clubs. 

Civic/Government Agency 

A government entry represents a government agency. This category includes federal, state, city, county, special districts, and local municipal agencies, as well as police, fire, military, and sheriff agencies. 

Commercial / Business 

Commercial entries are either large or small businesses/corporations. The commercial entry may display their company logo. 

Political Officials 

Elected officials who represent the residents of San Leandro are welcome to participate in the parade. However, we are limiting participation to current elected officials. The only exception is that former Mayors of San Leandro are invited to participate. Please note that vehicles may not be provided, and applications involving any campaign-related activity will not be accepted. 

Staging Area

BART South Parking Lot across from Parrot Street 

Float participants will be permitted into the staging area via San Leandro Blvd. to proceed to their parade entry spot. If you are part of a walking group, drop-off will be allowed at the staging area, and pickup will be at the San Leandro Main Library, 300 Estudillo Avenue. There will be no parking for those in the parade at the BART parking lot. Staging will begin at 8:00 a.m. Please be on time. Late arrivals may lose their place in the parade. 

End of Parade

San Leandro Main Library Parking Lot 

Disbanding of all entries will take place at the end of the parade route to prepare for getting the entry home. Walking groups will have a designated area at the end of the parade route for individuals to connect with their families. Once vehicles are street-legal, vehicles will be required to leave the area. All walking participants are encouraged to stay with their groups until the children are picked up. The person coordinating the entry should remain with any children participating until they are picked up. 

Community Groups and individuals are invited to perform on our Community Stage. This is an unpaid performance opportunity.

Applications for performers will be evaluated on the following criteria: 

1. Quality of performance demonstrated on provided video files/links;

2. Duplication;

3. Returning performer in good standing with the City;

4. San Leandro based;

5. Date that the completed entry is received.

Performer acceptance decisions are at the sole discretion of the City.