Registration Form

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 Applications must be received NO EARLER than September 15, 2024  and APPLICATIONS ARE STILL BEING ACCEPTED unless noted here that the parade is full. 

To ensure quality and appropriate content for this kid friendly event, O'Fallon Holiday Parade Organizers reserve the right to limit or deny participants. PLEASE REMEMBER: NO SANTAS. 

There is only one true Santa Claus... :)

ALL  APPLICATIONS MUST BE APPROVED. Once your application is approved, you will be emailed a packet of information for your next steps and important information and specific contacts. 

  Return Application In Person or Mail to: 

BETH ORTEGA GROUP

RE/MAX PREFERRED

ATTN HOLIDAY PARADE CHAIRPERSON, 

1668 WINDHAM WAY

O'FALLON, IL 62269

 EMAIL APPLICATIONS TO: OFALLONHOLIDAYPARADE@GMAIL.COM

 If you have any questions about this application or about participant regulations, contact              PARADE CHAIRPERSON

Beth Ortega at 618-616-3241. 

SPACE IS LIMITED - Please apply as early as possible! 

Applications will be accepted in person during the hours of 10 a.m.- NOON & 1 pm until 3 p.m., Mondays and Fridays.

No fees will be refunded for cancellations. Severe weather may cause the parade to be rescheduled for the weekend following the event. A second severe weather day would cause the event to be cancelled by the City of O'Fallon due to unforeseen circumstances. No refunds will be made. 

RAIN PROCEDURE

• In the case of rain, all participants are responsible for covering their unit and/or products. Please wear appropriate clothing in case of inclement weather.
• If there is inclement weather (i.e. snow, freezing rain, thunderstorms, heavy rain), the parade coordinator will make the decision to cancel or delay the parade the day before or day of.
• Rain out reschedule date is SUNDAY
• This parade is held unless weather is severe. Please understand we are a nonprofit event and the funds raised are just enough to cover the expenses of the event that we cannot return. We are unable to offer refunds should the parade be cancelled. 

This event is an opportunity for the community, businesses, families and friends to come together and create memories, in attendance and in organizing and building your parade unit. Crabby, complaining, controlling, stressful or overall Grinchy people need not apply.

This is an ILLUMINATED Holiday parade. Participants should have a minimum of 50% of their unit lighted. True believers will have 100% illumination! Santa is always watching. If you have employees, guests, etc walking with the float/ car/ parade/ unit in any way, they need to have some type of lighting on their person. This is not just for FUN, but also for their safety. Floats must provide their own generator/ power source. 

Battery operated lights can be found at local stores and online at Amazon or other locations.

Please be creative and fun with your entry! Kids and Adults alike are excited for this imaginative and bright parade. We encourage the silly, the fun, and things good in the spirit of the holidays!! Enjoy your positive interactions with the people around you, in the parade and watching the parade, and of course be respectful and extra kind to the volunteers. 

Need some fun ideas for your group?

How about a snow shovel brigade?

A lighted roller coaster group? 

Reindeer dogs and their elves?

Kids groups can dress themselves as walking ornaments or gifts.. snowflakes and snowmen. Just be sure to keep everyone with lights in some manner. (Dance troupe, cheerleaders, other coordinated groups may use glow in the dark necklaces or a spotlight on them as to not cause danger with light strings. 

Many ideas can be found on Pinterest and other sites.

City Hall will be hoping to light their Christmas lights when the band passes by. This may cause a slight pause in the parade. Otherwise, we will keep things moving at an appropriate safe pace.

Music for your group/ float is allowed and encouraged, but please specify so we can try to keep the musical units separated. 

Please respect and abide by the parade rules to keep everyone safe.

• All entries will be assigned a time to arrive at the prep area to line up. We do not do a numbered line up because it is dark and chaotic and it just makes everything way more complicated than it needs to be. Show up at your designated time and the floats will be lined up on one side of the street, cars/ vehicles on the other, and walkers/ dance groups off in the grass (on the baseball field side).
• All participants must follow all applicable rules and regulations. The parade coordinator and the City of O’Fallon reserve the right to remove any participant from the parade either prior to assembly, while assembling, or any time during the parade.
• NO materials (i.e. candy or other giveaways) may be THROWN from the parade route or from float pier the State regulations. Walkers may hand or drop items along the road edge.
• City of O’Fallon will secure contacting Santa Claus for arrival on his special float at the parade. NO imposters are allowed to participate. Please keep your participants/ vehicles/ and floats 'Santa' free. 
• Drivers of any and all vehicles in the      parade areas must possess a valid driver’s license, and possess full liability vehicle insurance. A copy must be available at the day of the event. 
• No animals please. 
• ALL UNITS MUST BE LIGHTED! 50% of the unit vehicle, float, or persons at minimum must be lighted to meet the      requirement. No we aren’t going to measure exactly, please be creative! 
• Alcoholic beverages and smoking are forbidden by any unit or participant. Violations will result in removal from the parade. No exceptions. This is a night parade with lots of kids and limited visibility. Please be on your best behavior and stay alert for pedestrians while in the parade. 

• This is the most relaxed, fun, easy going parade you will ever be in. Let's keep it that way with participant positivity and flexibility also. :) Keep spreading the Holiday Cheer! 
• State Requirements for safety:
• No spectator, participant, or volunteer may  jump on or off a float in motion or during the parade at any time, or interfere  with a unit in any way. The float capacity may not be exceeded.      Participants will not have body parts, particularly legs and feet, extending past the sides, front, or rear of the float. This is a safety hazard. Floats will allow and not interfere with parade guides stationed at each wheel of the float. FOUR volunteer guides must be walking with each float, wearing reflective clothing, and remaining next to/ protecting all wheel wells. This is REQUIRED by law. You may not refill candy or promotional items from the float or vehicle pulling the float. Please use alternative method for carrying supplies (pull a small wagon, etc). 
• Each unit MUST complete the full parade route. If your unit is having trouble of any sort, please call your assigned parade coordinator. 
• No POLITICAL CAMPAIGNING allowed. No exceptions. 
• VEHICLES, FLOATS, VEHICLES TOWING THE FLOATS, and all participants in any units are NOT permitted to have any controversial  or questionable content on themselves or any vehicle. This includes but is not limited to bumper stickers, personal attire, written language or any images that could be considered offensive or inappropriate for a kid friendly event. This is at the sole decision of the parade chairman. 

Please keep this positive and simple and fun!