2026 Gold Rush Parade

2026 Gold Rush Parade 

Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026

Start Time: 10:00AM 

Start Location: Villa Rica Elementary School - 314 Peachtree St. Villa Rica, GA

Parade Theme: Villa Rica Pride (Show us how you celebrate the city's 200th Gold Rush)

PLEASE KNOW all rules and regulations will be strickly enforced. NO EXCEPTIONS! 

2026 GOLD RUSH PARADE RULES & REGULATION

• NO REFUNDS. 
• Application fees are non-refundable if you no show or are late. 
• The parade line-up is organized by the Villa Rica Events Department and is based on the parade protocol and entertainment purposes. 
• If you have multiple vehicles, you will need to fill out a separate parade application for each car/float/walking group/truck/etc. 
• NO SPECIAL LINE UP REQUESTS ALLOWED.
• Space is LIMITED.
• The Parade Coordinator(s) or his/her designee has the authority to enforce said rules and to remove any entry from the parade in violation of the rules.
• PLEASE provide an email address that you check regularly.
  • We will send approval notice through email and any other important announcements.
  • You will receive additional information regarding line up, locations, etc. the week of the parade. So please make sure to provide an email that is checked regularly. 
  • PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM! Sometimes our emails go directly to that folder. 
• Your application WILL be discarded if we do not receive an answer from you once approval notices have been sent.  
• If the application is closed, we have hit the max number of parade entries. You will not be able to apply after the application has been closed - NO EXCEPTIONS!

READ CAREFULLY

• All cars, trucks, trailers, golf carts, and any other vehicles participating in the parade will need to report to the Villa Rica Elementary School parking lot between 7:30 AM – 9:00AM.
• Walking groups ONLY may be DROPPED OFF at 9AM.
• NO CARS, TRUCKS, OR ANY OTHER VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT IN THE PARADE WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE PREMISIS.
• ALL ROADS WILL BE CLOSED AT 9:30 AM.
• AFTER 9:30AM NO ONE WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE PARADE. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!
• EVERYONE IS TO REPORT BACK TO VILLA RICA ELEMENTARY AFTER THE PARADE. NO EXCEPTIONS!!
• The VR Staff and volunteers conducting the parade reserve the right to make changes to the line up on the day of. Please know – there are a high number of parade participants – please be patient.

OTHER RULES AND REGULATIONS

• Entrants may hand out candy ONLY!
• NO THROWING CANDY INTO THE CROWD!
• Pick-up trucks, trailers, cars, and motorcycles are allowed in the parade. 
• All motorcycles MUST be street legal.
• Helmets are required for all riders on a bicycle, skateboard, roller blade or any other type of riding device.
• Clean-up crews are required for animal entries.
• Entries MUST maintain a distance not to exceed 10-15 feet between each parade entry and remain five feet from the curb or the crowd, whichever is closer to the centerline of the street.
• Entries MUST NOT interfere with the parade flow or any other parade entry.
• If for any reason a gap of greater than 20 feet is created, walking units must increase their pace to close the gap.
• Adult supervision is required for all children in the parade.
• All trailers pulled by a truck, car, or any other motor vehicle MUST have rails on each side for participants on the trailer to hold. 
• NO participants are allowed to dismount from a float during the parade route.
• Participants ARE NOT ALLOWED to have body parts, particularly legs and feet, extending past the sides, front or rear of the float.
• NO riding on the roof of any vehicle, truck-bed fender walls, top of truck cab or sides of truck beds.
• Floats should be constructed so they will be able to make all turns along the parade route without impairing the forward movement of the parade.
• All floats must have handholds or stand up holds for each rider on the float. Any self-propelled float must have a spotter beside the float, who is in two-way communication (e.g. two-way radio) with the float driver.
• Continuous forward movement ONLY is required of all entries.
  • NO stopping is allowed.
• Possession of alcoholic beverages or illegal substances is strictly forbidden.
  
  • Offenders will be removed from the parade and are subject to arrest and prosecution. 
• Drivers of all vehicles in the parade areas must possess a valid driver’s license, be at least 18 years old, and possess all liability vehicle insurance.