In Honor of St. Patrick,

Colin P. Bradley

Parade Director, Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade

info@phillyparade.com     www.phillyparade.com

PO BOX 36629    PHILADELPHIA, PA 19107

Updated 2/11/2020Rules, Regulations & Useful Information to make the parade efficient and enjoyable

IT IS NOT DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME SUNDAY MARCH 15TH, Lucky us !

Enclosed please find the Line of March for the Philadelphia St. Patrick's Day Parade.   Please read the rules and regulations and advise those in your groups.  One person from each group must check in with one of the Marshals in your Division upon arrival, or you will not be announced at the reviewing stand or on TV.    

 Homeland Security has requested ALL VEHICLES IN PARADE MUST ENTER AT SCHUYKILL AVE ( 30^TH  St. TRAIN STATION) & JFK BLVD).  All driver and vehicle information must be updated on your website application by Noon March 1.  Quite simple, if they do not have the information they require, the vehicle will not be in the parade.   Take a piece of paper and write your group number on it as large as you can, so the police and marshals can see you group number and move you along quickly.

Do not schedule any after parade celebrations to start before 3:30 PM or more than likely you will be paying for dead time.  

Insurance regulations require that all vehicles in the line of March have insurance cards taped to the dashboard on the driver side of the vehicles.  Animals are NOT permitted in the Line of March. 

Please copy the staging and bus pick up maps for the members of your groups and drivers.   In the event of inclement weather, or an act of God, please listen to KYW-1060 AM Radio for information.   I will also post on the website but I am at the Reviewing Area at 5:00 AM so I will do my best.   There is NO rain date scheduled, so unless it is a blizzard, we go.   In honoring Saint Patrick, the patron Saint of Ireland, we ask for your patience and understanding. Please say a prayer for safety of all attending, good weather, and a successful entertaining parade.  

The Philadelphia St. Patrick's Day Parade will be starting at 11:10 AM  at 16^th & JFK.    There will be an air horn with 5 short blasts to signal 5 minutes to the start, and 1 long blast to signal the start of the Parade.   The first 4 divisions please have your group ready to march at 11:00 AM. This letter offers final suggestions to make this parade successful.

FOX29 has assembled the winning team of Kathy Orr, Chris O’Connell and Bob Kelly, that is such an asset to the Irish Community.  Check their website the day after the parade for Award Winners, information, and photos at Fox29 on the St Patrick’s Day Parade link.   Please tell them what a great job they do covering the parade!   Our partnership with Fox29 has developed other improvements that you will further promote the parade.  

Parade TV Coverage: 

 The deadline for the TV and parade announcer bios to be updated is Noon, February 28.  They need to be printed up and sent to TV producers so please update it this week.  We seem to have a lot of people this year who ignore these emails and assume another person is updating it.  Please take a look at your application and update it now, because if it has last year’s info on it, they will not say anything about your group.  

Sunday 3/15/20 - Noon to 1:30 PM Fox 29,
then new this year 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM will be on channel Buzzr:
95, Cablevision
246, Comcast
74, RCN
107, Service Electric
487, FiOS
245, Dish

* Encore Tuesday 3/17/20 –Noon to 3:00 PM on Fox 29.
In the days leading up to the parade, Fox29 will air stories about various parade groups on their Morning News and evening news. Please notify your groups and friends to watch Fox29 for these parade segments.
 
A few years ago we had 90 groups and now have almost 200!  If we are going to reach our goal of having all groups finished by 3:00 PM, I need your help.   The only groups permitted to stop and perform are the Irish dance groups and marching bands, which get 1 & ½ minutes to perform.   All other groups are to continue moving past the reviewing stand.   If your group stops at the stand, without clearing it with the parade committee, then you will be negatively affecting the groups at the rear of the parade.   Rest assured that next year you will find your group at the end of the parade, if you are lucky enough to be invited back, so don’t put your group in that position.   Please be courteous to all the groups and march right by the stand.

I have posted our Judging Criteria on the website.   The reviewing stand is on the left, so your floats and units should all be prepared to face left (Driver’s side of Vehicles) going by the reviewing stand.  The maximum height for floats to drive on city streets is 13’6” same as PENNDOT.  You may build a float higher, but it will have to be built on site and disassembled on site as well.   It is YOUR responsibility to see if it fits on parade route, not mine!   In the event of inclement weather, or an act of God, please listen to KYW-1060 AM Radio for information.   There is no rain date scheduled (or necessary, Kathy Orr has promised us good weather, and Bob Kelly has promised no traffic!).   We will not refer to it as “cold” Sunday; we will stay positive and call it “Refreshing”!  If we happen by chance to have precipitation, call it LIQUID SUNSHINE!       Please do not call me the morning of the parade; I am at the reviewing area at 5:00 AM!

In honoring Saint Patrick, the patron Saint of Ireland, we ask for your patience and understanding, and please say a prayer for good weather, safety of all those attending, and a successful parade.  If you have any questions, please contact me at info@philadelphiastpatsparade.com.   The award winners will be posted on Monday morning at our Website www.philadelphiastpatsparade.com.    Thank you for your cooperation.   Parades are not successful without dedicated people, and you are the reason why this parade is the best!   If you have any questions, please contact me at:   info@phillyparade.com   Thank you for your cooperation!

PARADE PARTICIPATION RULES, & REGULATIONS
please pay attention to the following rules; they are for everyone’s benefit and safety.
COMMON SENSE RULES

DRINKING OR SMOKING IS NOT PERMITTED IN PARADE!

 Real guns, toy guns, or weapons are NOT PERMITTED except as part of Military or Police unit.

 ANIMALS ARE NOT PERMITTED IN PARADE EXCEPT LEGAL GUIDE ANIMALS!

 Throwing of any items is NOT PERMITTED in parade!   Candy or Giveaway Items: Throwing any items from walking, vehicles or floats along the parade route is prohibited. This creates a very dangerous situation for youngsters running into the middle of parade vehicles, or reaching their hand out under wheels. Walkers must hand deliver candy or approved novelty items curbside, in a safe manner, no throwing allowed! Your participation in the parade will be terminated if your group violates this rule, and you will be held liable for any accidents, since every group signed a waiver absolving organizers of any liability to enter the parade, this liability will be on the group organizers. 

 CONTACTING FOX OR THEIR ANCHORS IS NOT PERMITTED.  IF INFO IS NOT ON YOUR APPLICATION BY THE DESIGNATED DEADLINES, IT WILL BE IGNORED AND MAY RESULT IN TERMINATION, AND NO ONE WANTS THAT TO HAPPEN.  

 DO NOT DRIVE ANYTHING OVER THE GREEN WOOD DANCE FLOOR!

Do us a BIG favor.   USE COMMON SENSE !   When you are waiting at the reviewing stand and the group in front of you is performing, please stop your music so you do not drown out the group in front of you!  I can’t believe how many times we have to run up to a car or a band to tell them to stop the music.   Have a little empathy for the group in front of you, and the group behind you will do the same.

Noise:  No blowing of horns or sirens that drown out music played by bands and dance groups.   When you are waiting at the reviewing stand and the group in front of you is performing, please stop your music so you don’t drown out the group in front of you!

Drinking & Barbecuing: No alcoholic beverages or barbecuing of any type are permitted in vehicles in the parade, in the staging area or in the line of March. This rule will be strictly enforced by the Philadelphia Police Department.

Badges: All participants in the parade should buy and wear the official Parade Badge. 

Buses: All buses should arrive at designated times and unload at assigned area. The Philadelphia Police and Parade Marshals will direct bus drivers to assigned parking areas.

Costumes: Costumes that enhance the spirit of the parade are encouraged. Please dress warmly, but make sure to present yourself so others will see you favorably on television. Jeans are discouraged!  

Dancers & Band Performances at the Reviewing Stand: The green wood dance floor will be 8 foot wide by 48 feet long centered at reviewing stand.   All PREAPPROVED Band and dance units will be limited to a 1 minute and 30 second performance. All music on CD or MP3’s must be received by the Dancers Music Contact by Feb 28^th   Mike Callahan   
7203 Delaire Landing Road, Philadelphia, PA  19114 (215-983-7224) mcalla2615@gmail.com.

Music: Irish music may be played along the parade route, if dancers are getting drowned out by noise behind you, please tell a marshal and we will install a spacer group.

Signs on Cars: No signs approved on cars unless identifying person in  the car.   NO other signs or placards on cars advertising businesses please.

Signs: Signs with the name of your organizations or individual, or referring to the theme are permitted.   Other signs or placards must be previously approved by the Parade Committee 30 days prior to the parade. 

VOTE FOR XYZ signs are NOT permitted.  Vehicles with car dealership or automakers signs or stickers are NOT permitted except for the Parade Vehicle’s Sponsor “TBD”.   If you are not sure about Signs, contact the Parade Director ONLY.   NO one else has the authority to tell you about signs.   Signs with your group name are fine.

Vehicles: All vehicles in the line of March must be noted on your application and approved by the Parade Committee 30 days in advance of the parade.   Float or Trailer Height is the same as the PA Dept. of Transportation, 13 feet 6 inches.    Insurance certificates or cards must be placed on the dashboard so Parade Marshals can see them clearly. 

ALL VEHICLES MUST BE REGISTERED PER HOMELAND SECURITY.  WE NEED VEHICLE TYPE, LICENSE AND STATE AND DRIVER’S NAME LICENSE NUMBER AND STATE ON YOUR PARADE APPLICATION OR YOUR VEHICLE WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE PARADE.

GROUPS WHO TRAVEL IN BUSES, VANS OR LARGE VEHICLES: THE BUSES WILL WAIT ON DELAWARE AVENUE NEAR PENN’S LANDING, AND YOU WILL WALK STRAIGHT DOWN MARKET STREET TO THE BUSES. NO TRAFFIC WILL BE ALLOWED TO CUT THROUGH MARKET STREET. 

 Late Arrival: All groups arriving late will be placed at the end of the Parade.  

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL AND NICE DRY WEATHER!