Semmes Christmas Parade Application

December 13, 2025

10:00 A.M.

Applications must be submitted by December 5, 2025.

Fees

Once an application has been submitted, you can call 251-649-8811 to pay your fees over the phone or come to City Hall and make your payment. 

1.   Floats - $50 each

2.   Dance Groups - $25 per group

3.   Vehicles - $25 each (except vehicle associated with a dance group)

      (Vehicles may be limited or not approved due to space and length of parade)

4.   Horses - $10 each

5.   Antique vehicles or antique tractors (25 years or older) – Free

6.  School System floats and groups, Non- Profit Organizations, Azalea Trail Maids, Camellia Maids, Mobile County Sheriff’s Office Deputies,  Parade  Marshalls  and  City  of Semmes officials, vehicles and floats are exempt from entry fees.

7.   All   entry   fees   are   non-refundable   once   application   is   approved.   Rejected applications will have entry fees refunded.

Floats:

No float or other vehicle, self-propelled or otherwise, exceeding sixteen (16) feet in height above the center of any public street or trailer over 40 feet in length shall be permitted to participate. 

All floats/vehicles:
Must have at least one (1) 5 lb. fire extinguisher for each float level.
Must be accompanied by a minimum of two adults (1 adult on each side of the float/vehicle for up to 20’ of float/vehicle length) who are 21 years of age or older, or other security personnel, to wear yellow reflective safety vests and shall be coordinated with and approved by the Semmes Police Department to walk along each side of the float to keep spectators away from the floats.

Floats will NOT contain alcohol, coolers, ice chest or containers containing alcohol.

All floats on trailers shall have side rails at least 3’ tall.

All floats on trailers shall have skirting.

There must be 1 adult (21 years of age or older) for every 5 children (under the age of 18 years of age) on each float or trailer – adults walking beside the float do not fill this requirement.

Anyone under the age of 16 years of age must be seated on the float (no standing)
Adults must have control of children on float.

No feet or any other body part should be hanging off of the float.

Any reports of participants throwing candy or other throws in a manner of being aggressive will result in the float being removed from the parade by the nearest Semmes Police Officer, or City of Semmes Official.
 

Throws 

Each float will provide its own throws.
Throws shall be limited to the following:
1.    Doubloons (plastic, wood, or aluminum)

2.    Beads (no glass beads allowed)

3.    Plastic air-inflated items such as small animals, footballs, and other toys

4.    Soft stuffed and foam toys

5.    Frisbees

6.    Empty plastic cups

7.    Clothing items approved by the City’s designated Christmas Parade Coordinator such as caps, sun visors, t-shirts.

8.    Candies / Foodstuffs (must be made in compliance with the rules, regulations and standard applicable thereto established by the United States Food and Drug Administration, regardless of place of manufacture).

        i.    Any type of soft candy wrapped in plastic or twist wrapper

       ii.    Bubble gum must be twist wrapped

       iii.    Moonpies

      iv.     All candies / foodstuffs must be individually  wrapped

 

The following throws are strictly prohibited:
Rubber balls or other hard type balls
Hard or heavy bean bags
Glass products of any type
Confetti or Serpentine

5.    Candies / Foodstuffs:

       i.    Candies or foodstuff in pasteboard boxes of any type

       ii.    Kool pops

      iii.    Candy apples

      iv.    Bubble gum that is not twist wrapped

       v.    Fruits or vegetables

       vi.       Frozen candy bars or any of the above list allowable foodstuff frozen

 Trash

 That all trash shall be kept on the float until the end of the parade.  The float shall be clean and free of debris prior to transporting said float to its place of storage. While in float, riders shall not throw trash from the float before or during the parade.  

 Animals 

All animals must be up to date on vaccinations and coggins, with a statement of health available for review. All animals must have proper control. 
 

 

 

PARADE DAY INFORMATION

Floats and Vehicles (not related to dance groups) 

Sign-In/ Line up will be in the parking lot at Mary G. Montgomery High School. 

Line-up starts at 7:00 AM. and all participants should be in place by 8:30 A.M. 

Please be on time. The parade will start promptly at 10AM. Floats will leave Mary G. Montgomery High School at 9:00 A.M. soon after registration to make their way to the Parade starting point.

Marching Groups, Dance Groups (vehicles holding music for these groups), and Horses

Sign-In/ Line Up will be at the Boys & Girls Club off Wulff Road. 

Line up starts at 8:00 a.m. and all participants must be in place by 9:30 a.m.

Route:

Parade staging will be on Nursery Road. The parade will go north on Wulff Road

Road to Moffett Road. Then, east on Moffett Road and down to Firetower Road.

Marchers will be excused at the Semmes Police Department. Floats will work their way back to MGM High School.  

Parade participants, please message your group organizer (the person who did the application for your group) for details on turning in your waivers and when you should meet.

Group organizers, please email with any questions events@cityofsemmesal.gov

 

Changes in the parade line-up the day of parade will be at the sole discretion of the City’s Christmas Parade Coordinator.

 

Please email with any questions events@cityofsemmesal.gov
 

 

I, and my organization, would like to participate in the City of Semmes Christmas Parade, and I, individually and as authorized representative of my organization, have read and understand all of the rules and regulations for said parade and agree to abide by the same. I, and my organization and its participants, agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the City of Semmes from all liability to myself and/or all participants from my organization. I understand and agree that the City of Semmes reserves the right to reject this application.