Marching Band Application

Note to ALL applicants for the 2023 Christmas parade: 

Mandatory Packet Pickup:  If Accepted, a representative from each group MUST ATTEND one mandatory meeting (to be held mid-November) to pick up all information packets and parking passes to participate in this year's parade.

Meeting information will be sent in the acceptance letter if your unit is selected to participate in the parade. 

Updates will also be available on our Facebook page: OcalaChristmasParade.

Parade Date: Saturday, December 9, 2029

Time: Parade Begins at 5:30 PM

Application Deadline: October 27, 2023

Thank you for your interest in the Ocala/Marion County Christmas Parade.

Please read through this ENTIRE packet carefully before submitting. Completed applications and general questions should be directed to the address and numbers listed below.  

So that the Christmas Parade is an entertaining holiday event and lasts no longer than 2 ½ hours, a maximum number of applications will be selected for each parade group as follows: 55 float units, 15 band units, 15 horse units, 10 marching units and 25 motorized units with a maximum of 120 parade units.  The parade committee will review and select applications one week after deadline.  Selection criteria will be based upon the following:

1. Entertainment/show value of unit
2. Diversity within category
3. Completeness of application

Applicants must provide unit drawings, action photos or video that represents your entry.  All Christmas music must be submitted in advance to be reviewed by the parade committee and will be exclusive music to be used throughout the parade route.  Submitted materials will not be returned.

THE ENTRY FEE WILL BE $100.00 FOR ALL FLOATS, MOTORIZED, HORSE/ ANIMAL, MARCHING AND OUT OF COUNTY BANDS.  There is a limit of 3 entries per group.  No entry fee is charged for government or Marion County Public School units--THIS IS THE ONLY EXCEPTION ON FEES!

PLEASE NOTE: The parade will host two packet pick meetings. If you are accepted into the Christmas Parade, a representative of your organization MUST attend one of these meetings to pick up parking passes and dispersal information.  Parade committee members will be available at the meetings to answer any questions you have about the parade.  

PACKET PICK UP MEETING DATES: Information will be sent in the acceptance packet for those units selected to participate in the parade.

FOR QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND GENERAL INFORMATION CALL (352) 624-2022 or EMAIL AT OcalaParade@gmail.com. 

GENERAL RULES—PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!

ORDER OF APPEARANCE

• All parade entries and participants are selected by the Parade Committee based on “show and entertainment value” offering a diverse mix to the overall parade and theme.  Selection criteria used is:  (a) show and entertainment value of unit, (b) diversity within parade group, and (c) completeness of application. Understanding that a parade is an entertainment medium, the contribution of each unit is critical.  Artistic beauty, use of color, animation, special effects, originality, rider personnel, marching/dancing skills, visual appearance and holiday spirit are all considerations for selection by the Parade Committee. Costuming and decoration of all units is mandatory.  Because of this “Total Show Concept”, this parade is not to be a platform for political campaigns/issues, blatant advertising or targeted special groups.
• The parade committee reserves the right to accept or reject any entry.
  The Parade Committee will determine the order of appearance for the Ocala/Marion County Christmas Parade. The order is determined to establish variety, as well as the best utilization of the participants.
• Your appearance spot may be altered or canceled if your arrival in the assembly area is not at the time established in your acceptance packet.
• Lineup position cannot be changed once assigned.

CODE OF CONDUCT

• Individuals and organizations participating in Ocala/Marion County Christmas Parade are expected to perform courteously, in good taste and with safety in mind at all times during the assembly, execution and dispersal of the parade.
• Absolutely no candy, flyers or merchandise will be thrown or distributed along the parade route.  Violation of the rule may result into acceptance in future parades.
• No profanity, verbal or otherwise, by persons or on vehicles in the lineup area or on parade route, will be tolerated.
• Parade official’s instructions in the staging area, on parade route, and in the dispersal area, must be followed. The parade committee has the right to eliminate any unit from the parade if instructions are not followed or if any unit is considered unsafe to proceed down the parade route.
• Parade participants are required to clean trash and debris from their area prior to the beginning of the parade.

VEHICLES & PARTICIPANTS

• No persons are allowed to dress as Santa Claus in or on any unit or have an image of Santa other than the official Santa float as designated by the parade committee.
• Proof of Insurance must be available for all vehicles participating in the Parade and provided upon request to any Parade Committee members or authorized public officials.
• All drivers must be licensed and adequately trained to drive their assigned unit.
• Units may not exceed the height of 13’ 6”.
• The number of passengers in the vehicle must not exceed the number of seat belts in the vehicle (except on an approved float).
  In addition to those riding in the vehicle or on the float, a maximum of 20 participants may accompany your parade unit.
• All unsafe or disabled units will be removed from the parade route and not allowed to re-enter.

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

• NO alcoholic beverages of any kind will be allowed on or with the unit. The consumption of any alcoholic beverage by any participant prior to or during the parade is strictly prohibited. Violators will not be allowed to participate in Ocala/Marion County Christmas parades.
• Any person who possesses or is under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be violating a City of Ocala ordinance and will be removed from the lineup area and the parade itself. Ocala Police K-9 dogs will be patrolling the lineup area for violators.

PACING & SPACING

• Parade participants must stay within their unit space. Straggling behind or advancing ahead into other units is unacceptable!
  During parade, units are to maintain a safe distance of at least 10’ from each curb and at least 40’ from the unit in front of you. Vehicles must be in good mechanical and braking condition and must have an adequate supply of gas to run the engine before parade and the entire length of the parade route.  Motorized units will be lined up 2 abreast and are required to maintain formation for the entire route.
• Pacing of parade is critical to avoid gaps in viewing. Keep parade in motion; stay with the unit ahead of you. Do not slow or halt vehicles to allow for walking members of unit to catch up. It is the walking participant’s responsibility to keep up with the unit, even if that means skipping distribution to some parade viewers.
• This is a moving parade.  NO stopping to perform at any time during parade route, in front of the reviewing stand or stopping for the addition or removal of persons or articles of clothing will be allowed.  Failure to comply could result in removal and/or exclusion from future parades.  The costume attire of marchers or walkers is to remain the same for the entire parade.
• There is a speed limit of 5 mph for all units including motorcycles and law enforcement units.  No maneuvers will be allowed by any unit, including law enforcement!

DISTRIBUTED ITEMS

THROWING items (candy, souvenirs, etc.) from vehicles or floats to spectators IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

DECORATIONS & SIGNAGE

• Blatant advertising signage will not be allowed.  Sponsor signs can be at the front or rear of the unit and may be 18” x 36” maximum.
• All audio, towing and motorized vehicles, with the exception of antique vehicles, must be decorated in the holiday spirit.
• Any banners used with units should have a holiday message or name the organization. They SHOULD NOT contain a sales message.

SOUND/MUSIC

• Blatant sound advertising will not be allowed. 
• No excessive horn blowing or sirens is allowed by any unit.
• Any unit using sound must play traditional Christmas/holiday, or parade theme related music only and it must be played for the entire parade route.  All music must be submitted in advance with your application to be reviewed by the parade committee. This music must be used throughout the parade route.  Submitted materials will not be returned.
• Any unit playing inappropriate or unapproved music will be asked to stop playing their music and may be removed from the parade.

ASSEMBLY/STAGING AREA

• Parade units (especially floats) may arrive after 10 a.m. in the staging area for final decorating. Due to space availability and safety for participants, there will be only one support vehicle allowed into the staging area for each parade unit.  Additional support vehicles must unload and proceed to provided parking area. All support vehicles must leave staging area by 3:00 p.m.
• No vehicles are allowed to leave or riders be removed from any unit once the parade has started.
• All units and participants must be in position for lineup and parade ready by 3:00 p.m.  Entrances to the McPherson complex are  closed at 3:00 p.m. Caravan of buses, vans and horse trailers begins out of the staging no later than 4:15 p.m. Lineup of parade units onto 25th Avenue begins immediately after.
• All buses, horse trailers, vans and their drivers must remain in the staging area and be ready by 4:00 p.m. when instructions are given to proceed to the dispersal area by police escorted caravan. Drivers are to stay with their vehicle once in the dispersal and wait for their unit.
• All vehicles in the unit must arrive with a vehicle pass, which will be issued to the unit when you received this Acceptance Packet.  No one will be admitted to the staging area and the parade itself without the pass. The distribution of these passes is the responsibility of the person signing the application. Passes must be placed on the dashboard of the driver’s side window. Non-conformity will result in removal from the parade.

DISPERSAL AREA

• Continue moving through dispersal until a Parade Committee member or Ocala Police officer advises you to stop. No exceptions!
• Float or other unit members returning to the assembly area after completing the parade should walk behind the line of spectators. Your cooperation in this busy area will be expected!

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY

• Should inclement weather occur prior to a parade, the Parade Committee working with local emergency management officials will determine if it is severe enough to cancel or delay the parade, and information will be promptly posted on the Ocala Christmas Parade Facebook page.
• Ocala/Marion County Christmas Parade Committee plans to proceed with the parade, rain or shine. We request you make provisions for foul weather.
• You may decline to participate when weather threatens to damage uniforms, props or instruments.
• Refund of registration fees will not be provided due to inclement weather. 

THESE RULES WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED BY PARADE OFFICIALS AND/OR LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL

Police and parade committee officials will be monitoring unit’s behavior and actions throughout the parade, including assembly, route, and dispersal areas.

Parade rules as listed above have been developed for the safety and enjoyment of participants and spectators. Any violations to parade rules will be written up by parade committee and will be taken into consideration upon review and acceptance into parade for subsequent years.

At the discretion of parade officials, units deemed to be out of compliance with any of the Parade Unit Rules and Regulations will be provided a verbal warning. Any warning issued will be recorded. Continued failure to comply with rules may result in your removal from the parade.

Please advise everyone in the group of the rules and assure they comply with them, making the parade enjoyable to the audience.

Ocala/Marion County Christmas Parade will not issue refunds if your unit is removed from the parade or for any other reason not allowed to participate.

BAND UNIT GUIDELINES

Band participants MUST arrive and disburse by bus. Students not arriving by bus will be required to have a signed parental permission slip to participate. Band chaperones must be in school attire.

Band units must play only Christmas/holiday music and must be played for the entire parade route.

Bands must be playing music as they approach, pass, and leave the TV reviewing stand!

THERE WILL ABSOLUTELY BE NO STOPPING TO PERFORM ALONG THE ENTIRE ROUTE!

All music must be submitted in advance to be reviewed by parade committee.  This music must be used throughout the entire parade route.  Submitted materials will not be returned.

All band units and participants MUST BE IN CORRECT LINEUP SPOT BY 4:00 p.m.

All buses must be in position near correct lineup spot and ready to leave via caravan no later than 4:15 p.m. They will be lined up in dispersal area in same order for prompt loading and dispersal from area.

READ ALL RULES BEFORE CONTINUING FORWARD!

The Friends of the Christmas Parade, Inc. does not provide liability insurance for the protection of participants, spectators, merchants, or others who participate in the annual Ocala/Marion County Christmas Parade.  In consideration of being permitted to participate in such activity, the participant does hereby release and forever discharge Friends of the Christmas Parade, Inc., its officers, officials and employees and all members or officials of Friends of the Christmas Parade, Inc. parade committee, the City of Ocala, its elected officials and employees, together with the County of Marion, its elected officials and employees, jointly and severally against all claims, suits, actions, and causes of action brought against them, including active negligence of the people that are hereby released, and to indemnify and hold the same harmless from and against all actions, claims, demands, and liabilities, loss damages and expense of whatever kind of nature, including attorney fees, any of which may, at any time, be incurred by them or claimed against them by reason of my participating in this parade.

I have read the application and rules and agree to abide with the terms of this application.  In signing this entry form, I do hereby release Friends of the Christmas Parade, Inc., its members, volunteers, and officers; the City of Ocala, its elected officials and employees, together with the County of Marion, its elected officials and employees; from any damages or injuries sustained by reason of my unit’s participation in this parade.  I also agree to distribute copies of the rules and regulations to all participants in this parade unit.

1. Application fee is $100 per unit. If multiple units (i.e. a float and motorized unit or two motorized units of 8 vehicles, it is $100 per unit.)
2. To pay by check, payment must be received by deadline of November 2, 2022.
3. Make all checks payable to Friends of the Christmas Parade, Inc.  Please include organization/unit name both on check and separately.
4. Checks should be mailed to:
       Friends fo the Christmas Parade, Inc.
       5184 SE 20th St.
       Ocala, FL 34480
5. To pay by credit card or with bank withdrawal, please check the box next to "Unit Application Fee" and submit the form. You will be taken to a PayPal processing page.