Parade Participants

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 11 a.m.

Guidelines, Rules and Regulations

• We encourage floats to be decorated to celebrate America's 250th birthday.
• 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 10 a.m. 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 from stopping 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.
• 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 begins 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 Parade Committee reserves the right to make any changes and/or additions to these rules and regulations at any time without prior notice.

Required Parade Participant Training: All approved floats must have their designated day-of contact review the Parade Participant Information Packet and Survey. The packet will be sent one/two weeks before the parade. In this packet, we will review important information such as load-in instructions, the parade route, and procedures for the end of the parade. Failure to complete this requirement may result in disqualification from participating in the parade.

Submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance into the parade. You will be notified by email if you have been approved, rejected or waitlisted by June 19 or sooner if the parade fills up.