Dear Friends:
IT IS DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME SUNDAY MARCH 12, 2017 SO PLEASE
SET YOUR CLOCKS AHEAD!
Enclosed please find the Line of March for the Philadelphia St. Patrick's Day
Parade. Please read the rules and regulations (especially
about throwing candy or any items) 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.
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 be insured
and have your 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 leave 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, and please say a prayer for safety of all those
attending, good weather, and a successful and entertaining
parade.
I have enclosed a copy of the rules and regulations, please familiarize
yourself with them. I have also
enclosed some suggestions for making this parade successful and other
information you will find useful.
The Philadelphia St. Patrick's Day Parade will be held on Sunday
March 12, starting at 11:15 PM SHARP at 16th
&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 11:30PM. This letter offers final suggestions to
make this parade successful.
FOX29 has assembled the winning team of Kathy Orr 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:
Live –
Sunday 3/12/17 – 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm on Fox29
Encore – Friday 3/17/17 – Noon to 3:00 PM Fox29. In the days leading up to the parade, Fox29 will air stories about various parade groups on their Morning Newscasts 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 over 200!
If I am going to reach my 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 & ˝
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 me, then you will be 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 us
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). 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 my house the morning
of the parade; I am at the reviewing stand 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!
PARADE PARTICIPATION RULES, & REGULATIONS
Please pay particular attention to the following rules; they
are for everyone’s benefit and safety.
NO DRINKING IS ALLOWED IN THE PARADE !
NO ANIMALS ARE ALLOWED IN THE PARADE !
DO NOT CONTACT FOX OR THEIR ANCHORS DIRECTLY ABOUT YOUR GROUP UIN THE PARADE,
IF IT’S NOT ON YOUR APPLAICATION, IT WILL BE IGNORED AND MAY RESULT IN
SUSPENSION. No one wants that.
Candy or Giveaway Items: Throwing candy from 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 distribute candy or approved novelty items curbside, in a safe
manner, no throwing allowed! Your participation in next year’s parade will be
denied if your group violates this rule and you will be held liable for any
accidents.
DO NOT DRIVE ANYTHING OVER THE GREEN WOOD DANCE FLOOR !
Do me 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 I 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.
Real or fake guns are NOT PERMITTED except as part of An approved Military or
Police unit.
Noise: No blowing of loud 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 do not drown out the group in
front of you!
Drinking& Barbequing:
No alcoholic beverages or barbequing 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.
Badges: All participants in the line of march
must buy and wear the official St. Patrick's Day Parade Badge.
Buses: All buses should
arrive at designated times and unload at assigned area. The Philadelphia Police
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! NO SMOKING IN THE PARADE!
Dancers& Band Performances at the
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 28th 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 music
behind you, please tell a parade marshal and we will install a walking group as
a spacer.
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 Board’s Vehicle 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.
NEW THIS YEAR ALL VEHICLES MUST BE REGISTERED PER HOMELAND SECURITY. WE NEED VEHICLE TYPE, LICENSE AND STATE AND
DRIVER’S NAME LICNESE NUMBER AND STATE ON YOUR PARADE APPLICATION OR YOUR
VEHICLE WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE PARADE.
Late
Arrival: All groups arriving late will be
placed at the end of the Parade.
GROUPS WHO TRAVEL IN BUSES, VANS OR LARGE VEHICLES: THE BUSSES WILL WAIT at Penn's Landing AND YOU WILL WALK
STRAIGHT DOWN MARKET ST, RIGHT ON FRONT ST. AND LEFT ON CHESTNUT ST TO THE BUSSES. NO TRAFFIC WILL BE ALLOWED TO TURN
LEFT ON MARKET ST.
If you have any
questions, please contact me at: info@philadelphiastpatsparade.com Thank you
for your cooperation!
In Honor of St.
Patrick,
Michael J.
Bradley Jr.
Parade
Director, Philadelphia
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
info@philadelphiastpatsparade.com www.philadelphiastpatsparade.com
PO BOX 40744, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19107
Updated 1/26/2017
