GRAND PARADE REGISTRATION

RULES & GUIDELINES

*** $100 Entry Fee + $5.00 Online Processing Fee

The Coast Guard Festival Board of Directors and Grand Parade Co-Chairs require all parade entries to comply with the Rules and Guidelines stated below, and reserve the right to reject or deny any entry or message for any reason. If an entry fails to adhere to the Rules and Guidelines, its future parade eligibility can and will be affected. The Grand Parade Street Squad (detailed below) will be stationed along the parade route, and will report violations to the Co- Chairs. The safety of all comes first—so with that in mind, let’s work together and give everyone a wonderful parade!

1. The purpose of this Festival is to honor the men and women of the United States Coast Guard. The Festival is NOT a platform for addressing political, religious, and/or social issues. Any and all campaigning, promotion of a political party or advocacy for a political, religious, or social point of view, is STRICTLY PROHIBITED within the Grand Parade.
2. Entries must be soundly constructed; neatly decorated to showcase their salute of the Coast Guard; and are welcome to celebrate Grand Haven’s official designation as “Coast Guard City, USA”. The 2024 Festival Theme is “Celebrating a Century.”
3. Entries’ Coast Guard salute must be clearly visible from both sides of the parade route. Lettering height must be a minimum of 3 inches, and company/organization logos may be incorporated in the design.
4. Entries utilizing electricity of any sort and for any means (i.e. amplifiers, speakers, instruments, etc.) must be equipped with a fire extinguisher. All entries are subject to safety inspections.
5. Entries may not exceed 12 feet in height from ground level.
6. Entries’ tow vehicles must be clean and orderly in appearance.
7. No animals are allowed.
8. Entries must maintain 2 yellow road pavement markings (approx. 50 feet) of spacing between themselves.
9. Participants walking in the parade should wear clothing/costuming indicating their belonging to their entry’s sponsoring group/organization. Participants must keep pace with their entry.
10. Both the City of Grand Haven and Grand Haven Department of Public Safety request that NOTHING IS THROWN OR TOSSED (i.e. candy, coupons, frisbees, water bottles, etc.) FROM ANY FLOAT OR VEHICL DURING THE PARADE. The safety of all comes first- most especially children. However, parade participants may distribute items from along the sides of the route.
11. Water toys (i.e. balloons, buckets, cannons, guns, etc.) may not be thrown or aimed directly at spectators. However, they may be harmlessly discharged upward/above in the general direction of spectators.
12. ALL VEHICULAR ENTRIES must report to their assigned lineup location no later than 10:00 AM! Traffic entering Grand Haven gets backed up very early.
13. ALL PARTICIPANTS RIDING, MARCHING, or WALKING in/with their entry must report to their assigned lineup location no later than 10:45 AM!
14. There will be both a radio broad casting booth and official party reviewing stand along Washington Street. Entries should be playing/marching/“doing their thing” as they approach, pass by, and continue past these locations.
15. There shall be NO COUNTERMARCHING, DANCING IN PLACE, DRILLING, or STOPPING along the parade route. These activities create large gaps between entries and slow the entire parade.
16. Each entry should bring adequate water and refreshments for all of its participants. While water is available at the parade route’s end (near the corner of Grant Ave. and 7th St.), it is extremely important for all parade participants to hydrate throughout the day.
17. Entry tear-down/disassembly space is available in the parking lot at the corner of Cutler St. and Grant Ave. at the end of the parade route. All vehicles not requiring tear-down must exit the parade route by turning left (east) on Grant Ave. toward US-31.
18. Spectators wishing to meet or pick up their entry’s participants at the parade route’s end should make arrangements OTHER THAN walking along the parade route. The parade ends (Grant Ave. & 7th St.) just 2 blocks from its start (Sheldon Rd. & Colfax Ave.).
19. IF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED, a Red Cross First Aid tent is located at the parade route’s end (near the corner of Grant Ave. and 7th St.). Emergency personnel are also stationed along the route.
20. The City of Grand Haven has a strictly-enforced open receptacles ordinance prohibiting drinking on public land.This includes all areas associated with the parade.
21. The Grand Haven Department of Public Safety prohibits burnouts by parade vehicles. Tickets will be issued.
22. Entries comprised of automotive groups/clubs will be staged two abreast and, when possible, must remain paired this way throughout the entire parade route.
23. Entries will not be processed until submitting their signed “Indemnification Agreement”.
24. Entries desiring to utilize any music or sound must indicate this on their parade application.
25. Entries of a commercial nature will be assessed a $100.00 parade entry fee. All official Coast Guard Festival Sponsors are exempted from this fee.
26. The Grand Parade Street Squad is comprised of awesome volunteers and is responsible for: keeping the parade flowing (maintaining adequate and correct spacing between entries); preventing entries from stopping to perform along the parade route; monitoring the throwing or tossing of objects to the spectators from ALL parade entries; and crowd control (keeping a safe distance between spectators and entries).