Parade rules

Entrants must observe ALL rules and regulations listed below. Entrants must also follow ALL instructions from police and parade officials at all times on parade day. The Rotary Parade Committee reserves the right to remove any entrant from the parade at any point on parade day.  Removal can occur prior to assembly, while assembling, or any time during the parade.

1. NO MATERIALS MAY BE THROWN ALONG THE PARADE ROUTE. WALKERS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAND MATERIALS TO SPECTATORS.
2. No units may stop forward motion for performances except in the areas designated by the Rotary Christmas Parade Committee. This stop may not exceed 90 seconds.
3. A space of 50 feet between each unit will be enforced. All units are required to close gap between units when instructed by parade officials. Failure to do so may warrant removal from the parade.
4. Alcoholic beverages are forbidden on any float, in any vehicle, or on the person of any participant. Participants consuming alcohol prior to or during the parade will be removed from the lineup. All city, county, and NC State statues concerning the consumption of alcoholic beverages will be strictly enforced by the police before, during, and after the parade.
5. Drivers of any and 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.
6. Livestock, reptiles, wild and domestic animals shall not be in the parade unless prior written approval by the Rotary Parade Committee is obtained. If approval is granted, all handlers of animals are required to make prior arrangements for clean up, if necessary, in the staging area and along the parade route.
7. Use of high intensity sound making devices is strongly discouraged. Sound of any type must be approved by the Rotary Christmas Parade Committee and meet the Sound Ordinance Requirements set by the County.  Only Christmas theme music will be allowed.  Music/Sound will be turned off when approaching and passing by any broadcasting/announcers areas (Market House and Arts Council).  Parade officials will withdraw any unit that does not comply with their instructions to turn down or turn off sound when instructed to do so. Failure to comply with the instructions of parade officials will result in immediate removal from the parade and jeopardize future participation.
8. Costumes worn by parade participants must meet the rules set by the Rotary Christmas Parade Committee and conform to the standards of reasonable public taste.  Costumes are to be family friendly.  Costumes can be Christmas themed but no participant may dress as Santa.
9. Performances by parade participants must meet the rules set by the Rotary Christmas Parade Committee and conform to the standards of reasonable public taste.  Performances are to be family friendly.
10. Political Campaigning is not permitted.  Politicians are welcome to participate in the parade but handing out of materials, flyers, etc. is not permitted.

NOTICE:  Entrants that do not appear on parade day without prior notification to parade officials or entries that do not comply with the rules and regulations jeopardize future participation in the Rotary Christmas Parade.  The Rotary Christmas Parade Committee does not accept the responsibility for travel, food, or lodging expense of any unit.  Application fees are non-refundable for accepted entries, each entry must pay the appropriate fee.  The Rotary Christmas Parade Committee reserves the right to accept or decline any entry.  The Rotary Christmas Parade Committee’s decision regarding all entries is final. 

Floats

1. Only vehicles pulling floats or providing transportation for pageant entries will be allowed in the parade. Exceptions will be considered for antique vehicles and other organized specialty car groups with prior approval. Vehicles that are pulling floats should be incorporated as much as possible into the float and decorated accordingly.
2. All entries must be decorated according to a Christmas theme. All banners must be neatly lettered and legible. Sketches of homemade floats must be submitted along with the application. The sketch should include all parts of the float, including towing vehicle.
3. NO decorations and or float construction material may protrude from the side of the float. All electrical device must be properly grounded.
4. 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.
5. Participants must be costumed according to the parade theme, with no participant dressed as Santa Claus.
6. No participants may jump on a float to ride and not interfere with any other unit in any way. Float capacity will not be exceeded. No participants will dismount from a float during the parade route. Participants will not have body parts, particularly legs and feet, extending past the sides, front or rear of the float. This is an extreme safety hazard.
7. The Rotary Parade Committee will secure Santa Claus for the parade. No other Santas are allowed to participate.
8. Float platforms should be at least 7 feet wide and 15 feet long with a fixed axle at/near the rear and a steer able axle at the front. Farm wagons make excellent platforms. Single or tandem axle trailers normally pulled by a car or truck are not desirable.

BANDS – MARCHING/WALKING UNITS

1. All marching units must maintain forward motion. Routines that cause gaps will not be permitted. Stopping or reversing motion will result in removal from the parade and will jeopardize future participation. Only Christmas theme music will be allowed.
2. No unit may stop forward motion to perform except in areas designated by the Rotary Parade Committee. Performance stops may not last more than 90 seconds.
3. If for any reason a gap of greater than 50 feet is created, marching units must increase their pace to close the gap.
4. All members of any marching unit should be at least 10 years old. Participants must be suitably costumed with no participant dressed as Santa. Walking groups must be dressed in uniform that easily identifies walkers as a part of the same group.
5. No vehicle will accompany marching units unless a separate application is submitted for the vehicle, to include payment of the separate application fee. This includes Bands and ROTC units (the “No Charge” code provided is valid ONLY for your marching unit.)

KINGS/QUEENS

Kings/Queens from any Elementary, Middle School, High School, College or recognized pageant will be considered for the parade at the discretion of the Rotary Parade Committee. Eligible entries for consideration will include private/public, elementary/secondary, college institutions and recognized pageant winners. Kings/Queens must be at least 5 years old. Kings/Queens from the same school must ride in the same vehicle. Kings/Queens are required to furnish their own vehicle on parade day. The driver must be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver’s license. A maximum of 2 persons per vehicle (driver excluded). The King and/or Queen must have been selected as a part of an official school pageant. Kings/Queens will be dropped off at the Russell Street entrance of Cool Springs Street unless they arrive in the vehicle being used to transport the Kings/Queens during the parade procession. Only the vehicle being used to transport the Kings/Queens during the parade procession will be allowed into the assembly area.

LINEUP

All entries will be assigned a line-up number and receive further instructions about the parade upon approval of your application.
All approved applicants will need to be at the Cumberland County Courthouse parking lot assembly area no later than 8:30 am on Parade Day. Step-off is scheduled to begin promptly at 10:00 am.11:00 am. Entry to the assembly area can only be accessed from Cool Springs Street via Russell Street coming
from Eastern Boulevard/Business I-95.

Only vehicles with an approved and paid application will be allowed to enter the assembly area. Walkers will be dropped off at the Russell Street entrance of Cool Springs Street, no vehicles dropping off walkers will be allowed into the assembly area. Individuals riding on floats will be dropped off at the Russell Street entrance of Cool Springs Street, no vehicles dropping off float riders will be allowed into the assembly area.

ROUTE

The parade will start from the assembly area moving west on Person Street. It will continue up Person Street around the Market House, West on Hay Street and terminate at the CSX Depot.

All Floats will turn left onto Maxwell Street, then turn left onto Russell Street and return to the Courthouse parking lot (assembly area).  NO RIDERS WILL DISMOUNT UNTIL THEY RETURN TO THE COURTHOUSE PARKING LOT (ASSEMBLY AREA).

Marching Bands and ROTC units will cross the railroad tracks and continue up Hay Street, making a left into the Medical Arts Building parking lot where the busses will be parked.  Decisions in regards to equipment trucks and trailers will be made at a later date.

All other participants will turn left onto Maxwell Street, then turn left onto Russell Street and proceed until it is safe to leave the parade procession.

NO PARTICIPANT WILL STOP MOTION OF THE PARADE PROCESSION ON HAY STREET OR MAXWELL STREET UNLESS SPECIFICALLY INSTRUCTED BY A ROTARY CHRISTMAS PARADE OFFICIAL OR POLICE OFFICER.