Please note, this is an application and does not guarantee admittance into the parade. You will only be charged after approval.
The Parade starts at 12pm with Santa"s After Party starting immediately after the parade (approximately 1:30pm).
In the case of inclement weather, the parade may be held on December 14 at 4pm or December 15 in the afternoon.
Guidelines, Rules and Regulations
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- We encourage floats to be decorated with the parade theme, “Candyland.” Due to the weather-related cancellation in 2023, we will have the same theme this year. Please make sure your float has the name of the business or group represented attached in a visible manner.
- Floats MUST be fully decorated before you enter the staging area and no waste/items may be left in the staging area.
- All floats must arrive during their designated arrival time (assigned at required virtual meeting) and all floats must be in place by 11am or you will not be permitted into the parade.
- Adults MUST accompany children, youth organizations, school groups or any groups with children participating at all times.
- In order to ensure the safety of our children, throwing items into the crowd from a moving vehicle is prohibited. Candy may be handed out to parade attendees by walking alongside your float/entry.
- Entries are prohibited to stop to perform at any time during the parade. You MUST keep moving at all times.
- Inappropriate conduct is basis for automatic disqualification and removal from the parade. This includes, but is not limited to, endangering or the potential of endangering anyone along the parade route.
- All bike riders, skaters and equestrian riders must wear helmets and appropriate safety gear.
- All vehicles towing a unit must have safety chains between the pulling unit and the float. The float MUST be secured.
- Sound levels from floats must be kept at a reasonable level. Excessively loud music or noise that could disturb parade participants or attendees is prohibited.
- Horse entries are required to supply clean-up crews (pooper-scoopers) to follow behind their unit. Waste clean-up in the staging area is REQUIRED. Horse groups are limited to six (6). Each rider under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Riders must provide a certified copy of the current 12month negative Coggins test before each horse can enter the staging area.
- Only registered floats and vehicles will be allowed in the staging area.
- Participants MUST be dropped off at another location than the staging area, and the group must walk to the staging area together. Parents are prohibited to drop off their children at the staging area.
- Walking units must be able to keep up with the speed of the parade and provide a banner/sign with the sponsor/group name.
- The parade route begin at Ingles on North Broad Street and continues down Broad Street and will turn left onto Athens Street towards Jug Tavern Park.
- No participants are allowed to sit on the edge of floats and/or have legs hanging over the side.
- No one under the age of 18 years old is allowed to drive any vehicle in the parade.
- No vehicles are to spin tires, rev engines or cause a commotion of any kind while participating in the parade.
- If this is violated, your entry will be removed from the parade. Vehicles must be street legal.
- Failure to comply with these regulations may result in disqualification and ejection from the parade.
- The Christmas Parade Committee reserves the right to make any changes and/or additions to these rules and regulations at any time without prior notice.
- No one may enter the parade dressed like Santa or representing Santa. The Christmas Parade Committee will sponsor Santa, and Santa is included in the parade each year. We do, however, encourage you to dress as elves, cartoon characters, the parade theme characters, etc. to fit the Christmas theme.
Required Virtual Parade Meeting
All approved floats must have their designated day-of contact attend a mandatory virtual meeting before the parade. During this meeting, we will review important information such as load-in instructions, the parade route, and procedures for the end of the parade. If the designated contact is unable to attend the live session, a recorded version will be provided. The recording will include specific code words throughout, which must be submitted back to us to confirm that the recording was watched. Failure to complete this requirement may result in disqualification from participating in the parade. The date to this meeting will be sent to all participants by November 4.
Winners
Winners will be voted on by the community! Signs with QR codes directing parade goers to the voting page will be located throughout the parade and on some parade vehicles/floats. Awards will be given to the top three entries based on voting scores. Winners will be notified by email the week after the event. The Mayor’s Choice Award will be awarded to one float prior to the start of the event.
