August 19, 2017 Greetings from the Festival of Lights Committee! We are excited about the 27th Festival of Lights Parade. This year Santa appears in our parade thanks to Columbus Regional Health. We also are thrilled once again to partner with QMIX 107.3. We continue to work diligently every year to make each year s event a memory for spectators and participants. In 2017 the parade will be held on Saturday, December 2 and will begin at 6:00 p.m. If you are interested in participating in the parade, attached is an information packet with float guidelines and rules for the parade. Entries can be submitted in two ways: mail a completed entry form with a check or enter online with a credit card. We are pleased to say that for the 8 th year, we will again make a donation to the Columbus Shop with a Cop with parade proceeds. Over the past seven years, the parade had made donations of more than $8,000. The staging will be the same as 2016 that are in response to the changes on Brown Street. Please be sure to remember that information in this document are unlike years in the past in many ways. When you enter, please be sure to make and keep a copy of the completed entry form for yourself. All entries must be received by November 10, 2017. Previous event success means we expect a full field and a great turnout by our community. We look forward to this December and hope you will once again consider coming out to support this wonderful holiday tradition in our community. Warmest Regards, The Festival of Lights Parade Committee The Festival of Lights Parade is owned and operated by JAKKS, Inc. a 501c3 entity [Be to add us to your email address book to receive parade updates and information]
PLEASE REVIEW PACKET CAREFULLY The Festival of Lights Parade Committee has established rules and regulations. Any participant who registers and signs the entry form agrees to rules and is responsible to see that anyone included in their entry also abides by them. Your safety and the need for an on time parade are important and the basis for these parade policies. 1. To be considered for entry into the parade, all forms and fees must be received by organizers by the deadline of Friday, November 10, 6pm. This deadline is absolute! 2. All entries must be approved for size and content by the parade committee and must be fully described on the registration form. It is vitally important you include dimensions of unit for staging purposes. 3. ALL units must be able to pass underneath the overhead traffic lights along parade route (13ft in height). 4. Parade units (that are not semi or construction trucks) should use the width and height of the Mill Race Park covered bridge as their requirement for size limitations. Units staged in the park MUST pass over the bridge. 5. Final confirmation of parade participation and final instructions will be sent to the contact person at the designated email address in the days just prior to the event date. Please make sure you keep us notified of any changes to either. 6. Roads used for the parade route and specified surrounding streets will be closed to ALL traffic up to 6 hours prior to parade start. Please inform everyone who is to be on the float or walk with the unit they may find it difficult to get to your staging location once the roads are closed. 7. Parade entries once staged by organizers are final. Changes to line up will be made at the discretion of the organizers on parade day for purposes of improving parade pace, street conditions, safety of each parade unit, etc. Parade entries may not request specific line up placement. 8. Entries that are not checked-in and in their assigned staging spot by 5:00pm on December 2 will be considered as a no show, and not allowed to participate in the parade. 9. Parade officials will be designated by a lanyard with parade official clearly printed. Volunteers will be wearing green safety vests. 10. All disputes are settled at the discretion of the identified parade official. No abusive language will be tolerated. 11. Every entry will be given a staging number at the check-in desk on parade day. This staging number should be placed on the front left of your entry and visible. This number will be used for judging and to inform the announcer what to read as you pass by QMIX s live remote tent on 3 rd & Washington Streets. 12. Motorized parade floats and towing apparatus shall be equipped with a minimum two 2-A, 10-B:C rated portable fire extinguisher readily accessible to the operator. This is for the safety of everyone on the float, nearby floats and parade spectators. 13. Inform all persons associated with your entry that they should dress appropriately for the weather. They should anticipate being out in cold weather for up to 3 to 6 hours. 14. Each unit will be notified a week prior to parade day the location(s) of drop-off point(s) for persons riding/walking with a parade unit. This year absolutely no vehicles will be allowed into the staging areas. Inform your participants of drop-off location(s) and to allow enough time to walk to your unit s staging location. 15. Only parade participants are allowed in staging areas. Congestion in these areas hinders our ability to stage and begin the parade on time. Please ask parents to walk their children to the staging area, drop them off leaving their children with designated adult supervisor and leave the staging area. 16. Any entry including minors should provide adult supervision at their staging area. 17. Port-o-lets will be available in the staging areas. 18. Horns and/or sirens will be allowed along the parade route as long as they do not disrupt bands and musical floats. They are not to be used in the staging area. Please note the use of horns and/or sirens on your entry form so organizers may stage you accordingly. 19. Recorded or live music on entries is encouraged. 20. Walking units should have banners to identify their group and /or organization. 21. Local, state or federal office holders are responsible for signage with their name (office optional). 22. Equestrian entries MUST provide their own catch mechanism or street cleaning crews following their units. 23. Judging will take place during the parade. The judges location is not disclosed. Do not assume the judges are located at the corner of 3 rd & Washington Streets at the QMIX live remote tent. Please do not stop to perform at that location as you disrupt the flow of the parade.
24. Units should not stop to perform for spectators more than 30 seconds. There is NO location where units are asked to stop and perform for the judges. The tent on the corner of 3 rd & Washington Streets is for radio live remotes ONLY. Keeping any stopping to a minimum will help us keep the parade moving. In the past, long gaps between units have confused spectators and they have left before the entire parade has gone past. 25. For everyone s safety (humans and animals), please DO NOT use horns or sirens or music in the staging area; recorded and live music may be tested if kept to a low sound level; once a unit is on 8 th Street between Jackson & Washington Streets, a unit may turn up the music, use horns or sirens. 26. All entries must pay the required fees by the entry deadline to be considered entered into the parade. The only exceptions are fire, police and sheriff departments personal or equipment that may be called away during the hours of the parade as first responders. 27. Per the City of Columbus and Columbus Police Department, candy or any other objects MAY NOT be thrown from parade entries. If you wish to distribute any goodies, walkers may hand items to spectators along route. Walkers must be at the curb. This is a safety rule and will keep children from running between moving parade units in the dark. We increasingly have complaints of units disregarding this policy, and unit drivers reporting near misses while on the parade route. If we receive complaints or reports from law enforcement, volunteers or numerous spectators about your organization throwing candy or any other object from any vehicle, your organization will not be permitted to participate in future parades. Safety is our primary concern and we will enforce this policy. 28. This is a family event. Alcohol consumption is strictly prohibited in staging areas and along the parade route. Any person found to be drinking, displaying or carrying alcohol will be removed from the parade line up, and/or removed by law enforcement. We are instituting this policy as there were complaints of blatant alcohol use by parade participants in past years, and for the safety of spectators and those who will be driving in the parade or after the parade. 29. WE ASK THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY PERSON DRESSED AS SANTA ON OR WALKING WITH YOUR ENTRY. ANIMALS OR CARTOON/MASCOT REPRESENTATIONS DRESSED AS SANTA IS ALLOWED. THE ONLY, OFFICIAL HUMAN SANTA IS THE ONE ON THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS SANTA FLOAT AT THE END OF THE PARADE. We appreciate your cooperation with keeping the illusion for the children attending the parade. Inclement Weather Policy Parade entry fees for accepted entries are non-refundable. There is no reschedule date should the parade be canceled or shortened due to inclement weather. No entry fees are refundable in the event of cancellation due to acts of God, fire, natural disaster, terrorism, war, military hostilities, or any other force majeure events, or cancellation by government agencies. Usually, the parade will be held rain, snow or clear weather. In the event of inclement weather the parade will go on schedule, except in the event of extreme and/or dangerous conditions such as ice storms, temperatures (including wind chill) nearing zero degrees, blizzards, etc. The Parade Committee defines these conditions as situations when the downtown streets cannot be cleared by the City of Columbus AND/OR it is deemed unsafe to be outside by the National Weather Service. As we often have over 1,000 children who participate in the parade AND the thousands of children along the parade route, as a general rule, we follow the same weather guidelines the local school corporations use regarding allowing children outside for lunch or recess periods. Should inclement weather occur prior to the parade, the Festival of Lights Parade Committee will determine if it is sufficiently severe to cancel or delay the parade. Any decision to cancel the parade will be announced no later than Noon on parade day. Outlets to make the cancellation public will be the radio stations, The Republic, the parade web site and Facebook page. The contacts identified by entries will be sent an email to the address provided on the entry form. If the parade is cancelled, it will not be re-scheduled for a later date. You may decline to participate when weather threatens to damage uniforms, props or instruments. All participants should make provisions for foul weather. Thank you for your interest in the 2017 Festival of Lights Parade! You may email us at columbuslights@gmail.com for further information.
2017 MAIL-IN ENTRY FORM Organization Name: Contact Name: Address: Phone: Email: Check the most appropriate parade category: motorized vehicle unit PLEASE CHECK BELOW KIND OF VEHICLE(S) ENTERING semi (cab with trailer/flatbed) business truck (e.g. UPS truck, tow truck, etc) passenger cars--# construction vehicle (cement truck, bulldozer, etc) passenger truck/car pulling trailer other equine/animal riding/walking unit marching musical group employee group walking only, no vehicles social services group walking only, no vehicles Other (specify): Supply approximate measurements of parade unit: ft long by ft wide (required for acceptance into parade and staging; NOTE: all entries must be under 13 ft in height. If you are staged in Mill Race Park, but cannot travel across the covered bridge, you take the risk of possibly not being placed in the parade). Will your entry have music (recorded or live)? YES NO Will your entry be using horns and/or sirens? YES NO Will you need a handicap accessible location for staging? YES NO -- next page
PLEASE PROVIDE A BRIEF MESSAGE FOR THE LISTENING AUDIENCE. THIS MESSAGE WILL BE READ BY THE PARADE ANNOUNCERS AS YOUR UNIT PASSES BY QMIX S REMOTE TENT. USEFULE TIPS & GUIDELINES If you are planning to construct your own float, the following restrictions apply: HEIGHT: U n i t m ust pass safely under stoplights and other overhead wires. The unit can be no taller than 13 feet. WIDTH: To maneuver safely through the parade route, the unit should be no wider than 10 feet. LIGHTS: As the name implies, ALL FLOATS AND ENTRIES MUST BE LIGHTED. Portable generators are available at most tool/equipment rental businesses. Reservations should be made as soon as possible. RENTALS: There are many companies that offer float construction kits. If you are interested in information on these kits, we suggest you Google float rentals. The Festival of Lights Parade Committee uses Creative Floats out of Ohio. DECORATIONS: Information on float decoration or supplies is available from Victory Corps. (victorycorps.com). Most riding lawnmowers and trucks are sufficient to pull floats. If you would like to rent a tractor, contact a local farm equipment dealer.
PARADE WAIVER I am the responsible party for this participant entry in the 2017 Columbus Festival of Lights Parade. In exchange for the privilege of participating in the Parade, I hereby take responsibility for all persons who will on, in or walking with the entry. I and everyone I represent also hereby waive, by this writing, any and all claims of liability against the City of Columbus, Columbus Regional Health, Reising Radio Partners, JAKKS, Inc. and its members and volunteers, individually and collectively, which arise from or may arise from the incident or event related to such Parade. If representing a company, group or association, the writing covers all the people participating in that capacity. By signing, I agree to abide by the attached rules and regulations for the parade. JAKKS, Inc. encourages you to create and have everyone participating with your entry to sign a waiver acknowledging their risk of injury and weather related circumstances by participating, and event cancelation is a possibility if weather conditions deem necessary for safety concerns. contact for organization [signature] date print name The November 10 deadline will be strictly enforced. Entry fees for the 2017 Festival of Lights Parade will be as follows: Businesses / For-Profit organization $40.00 Not-for-profit Organization $20.00 This category is defined by an organization that has received tax exempt status from the federal government. The committee may ask for a copy of the 501 tax certificate if a question arises. Note: families are not considered not-for-profit organizations. Police / Fire / Sheriff Department FREE Entry fees are non-refundable. To enter and pay by credit card Go to http://www.festivaloflightsparade.com Before you enter your unit online, have ALL information needed the online form requires the same information as the form enclosed in this packet. Have a credit card ready. The Festival of Lights Parade uses PayPal as our credit card processor. You DO NOT need to have PayPal account to use a credit card. Charges to the parade will appear on your bill as FOLParade or FOLightsParade. To enter by mail and pay by check Checks should be made payable to JAKKS, Inc. Hard copy entries should be mailed to: JAKKS, Inc. ATTN: Festival of Lights Parade 428 Fifth Street Columbus, IN 47201 Keep a copy of this entry form for your records. If entry contact or email address changes, please email us at columbuslights@gmail.com and tell us of the changes.