PARADE ENTRY- St. Patrick's Day Parade 2025 (Credit)

The St. Patrick's Day Parade will be held at dusk Monday, March 17, in the downtown square. The original nighttime St. Patrick's Day Parade in Northwest Indiana. Each business must pay $50 for a parade entry.
 Parade Entries are limited to 40 entries.  Entries will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.  The deadline to submit is March 10th unless we fill up prior to. 

Criteria, Rules and Code of Conduct
1. All entries must have lights and must incorporate the St. Patrick’s Day theme.
2. Each entry must display a banner that signifies the beginning of their procession.
The banner must list the entrant’s organization. Upon acceptance, each entrant
will be randomly assigned to represent an Irish county.
3. Walking marching bands are not required to have lights but are encouraged to do so.
Walking marching bands must also incorporate the St. Patrick’s Day theme in their
selections.
4. All entrants will be recognized by banners and signs at the staging area. Please
have your organization’s sign prominently displayed at the beginning of your entry.
5. Every entrant must have a minimum of five strands of lights, as this is an evening event.
All entrants are encouraged to go above and beyond the minimum number of lights.
6. To prevent crown injuries, nothing can be thrown, handed or sprayed from any unit in
the parade.
7. Entrants are to keep moving along the parade route as much as possible in order to
avoid unnecessary gaps. A 1.5 car length is recommended.
8. Only applications received by the deadline will be considered for entry into the
parade.
9. There will be zero tolerance on the use of alcohol by any participant in the staging
area, or during the parade.
10. The parade will commence during rain, snow or shine. Everyone is encouraged to
dress appropriately.
11. No foul language should be used over the P.A. systems or in song lyrics.
12. Entrants with live animals are required to have a containment in place. For example,
entrants can bring a honey bucket for their horse.
13. Music volume should be kept low in the staging area prior to the parade.
14. Please respect the residents and their property along the parade route.
15. Please pick up after yourself.
16. City officials, police, or civil defense, reserve the right to remove any parade participant
at any time for failure to follow any criteria, rules and code of conduct or unsafe acts.
17. The parade will begin at dusk on St. Patrick’s Day (Monday, March 17, 2025). Open
festivities will begin at 6:45 p.m. The parade will stage along Wells Street and South
Main Street between Greenwood and Wells, Solon Robinson Elementary School will be
used for participants parking only.
Parade entrants will be assigned specific times to set up. All entrants must be in place
by 6:15 p.m.
Once everyone is in place, we will begin the parade at dusk along Main Street.
traveling north, around the square. Grandstand will be in front of the
East Side of the Old Courthouse. The parade will continue around the square to Court
Street and disperse at Walnut Street.
Port-A-Potty ’s will be provided. There will be no access to the school.