RULES & REGULATIONS

Inspection of float by a Parade Marshall does not create liability for the Brandon Parade of Lights and the participating chambers of commerce or certify compliance with any federal, state, or local law. The entrant is solely responsible for the safety of its float and must be in compliance with Hillsborough County Ordinance, as well as any applicable federal, state, or local law.

1. No open dually type style trailers will be permitted in the parade. Wheels must be constructed un der the platform of the trailer being used. Exposed wheels are to be considered illegal use according to County Ordinance. This Rule will be strictly enforced. NO monster trucks or golf carts will be allowed in the parade.

2. All units MUST have holiday decorations and lights

3. No more than 50 walkers with a minimum of six walkers per float or vehicle will be allowed.

4. ALL MOTORIZED VEHICLES will line up at and must be in the lineup by 5:00 pm excluding city, county, or state officials.

5. Permitted handouts include, but are not limited to: beads, individually wrapped candy, apparel, and soft/inflatable items are approved to throw.

6. Your position lineup number will be given out at the MANDATORY safety meeting approximately TWO WEEKS before the parade.. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM ALL UNITS MUST ATTEND TO BE ADMITTED TO THE LINEUP ON PARADE DAY. THIS RULE WILL STRICTLY BE ENFORCED.

7. The parade route starts at Lakewood Drive and Oakfield Drive. All numbered units one through 100 motorized vehicles, autos, pick-ups, and floats will line up on Lakewood Drive south of Oakfield Drive, (excluding city, county, or state officials) and will enter only from the S. Lake wood Drive and Brandon Parkway intersection.

8. Failure to comply to all established rules and regulations may result in a non-refundable forfeiture of participation and/or removal from all parade activities.

Please note you will receive updated information on staging/disbanding along with your parade lineup number via email approximately one week before the parade. The updated information communicated by email in this manner shall not alter the terms or conditions contained in this application or the attached Acceptance of Entry Requirements, Parade, Rules, Liability, Release, and Hold Harmless Agreement unless expressly identified in the email and approved by an authorized representative of the Brandon Parade of Lights.

ENTRY DESIGN INFORMATION.

The Brandon Parade of Lights is a family-friendly event. All units must be designed and decorated to reflect a holiday theme with lights. All units must be constructed in a manner which is safe for all participants and spectators. Profanity and inappropriate music are prohibited.

There is always a potential for inclement weather which could include strong winds and gusts along the parade route, therefore, each unit should be designed to withstand the elements.

Please remember, NO SANTA CHARACTERS ARE ALLOWED, except on the official Santa float. Santa hats are permis sible. Holiday costumes with bright colors are encouraged.

Understanding that the parade by its nature is an entertainment medium and, therefore, the contribution of each unit to this concept is critical. Entries are approved by the parade committee based on “show value” to the overall parade. The event is NOT A PLATFORM FOR POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS OR SOCIAL ISSUES, and no unit will be permitted to participate in the parade, if in the judgment of the parade committee, it reflects such issues. Cancellations for the safety of participants and spectators, if weather or other unforeseen events occur that is out of our control, both the Valrico/Fish Hawk and the Greater Brandon Chambers of Commerce reserve the right to cancel.

Application fees. Application fees are nonrefundable, but will be applied to the next year’s entry

No alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited in the staging area and during the parade.

No offensive symbols. Symbols that can be construed as offensive may not be in the parade. This includes but is not limit ed to the confederate flag, and the swastika.

Customized floats. Float entries must include overall float dimensions, the dimensions of the tow vehicle, and details of props to be used on the float. The applicant is responsible for the stability of the float and for ensuring the placement of the display and passengers on the float.

Insurance requirements. All participants are required to provide Commercial General Liability Insurance with a mini mum of $1 million per occurrence and a $2 million general aggregated and Automobile Liability Insurance of $1 million combined single limit for Bodily Injury and Property Damage.

If the entrant is renting a float from a float company that will supply the tow vehicle, the float company must provide the Certificate of Insurance with the parade requirements outlined above. If the entrant is using a commercial towing company, the towing company must provide the Certificate of Insurance with parade requirements outlined above.

In any case, the entrant must provide a Certificate of Insurance with Commercial General Liability Insurance or copy of auto insurance if driving a personal vehicle.

Each Certificate of Insurance must contain an Additional Insured clause as shown:

The Valrico/FishHawk Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce and Hillsborough Parks and Recreation are named as additional insured. Certificate Holders should be listed on one or three different certificates (as space allows):

Valrico/FishHawk Chamber of Commerce3115 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. Valrico, FL 33594

Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce1463 Oakfield Dr., Ste.134Brandon, FL 33511

Hillsborough CountyBOCC2310 Regional Water Ln. Tampa, FL 33637

Automobiles trucks and vans. Individuals in the vehicles should be part of the entry presentation. All vehicles and riders are required to have holiday decorations. Due to safety and insurance requirements, persons are prohibited from riding in the bed of a pick up truck, or on the sides or hood of a vehicle. Proof of insurance is required and must be provided to parade officials before participation in the parade.

Safety monitors. Any motorized vehicle longer than 20 feet must provide four safety monitors stationed at the corners of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving. Each safety monitor must be equipped with an orange or a lime green safety vest and a whistle. The role of the safety monitor is to make sure that the driver is aware of any emergency requiring him or her to stop immediately. Emergencies include, but not limited to: equipment, malfunction, passenger falling from the float, overhead obstructions, parade viewer coming to close, etc. Safety monitors may not hand out items to spectators along the parade route.

Marching units. Any drill team or marching unit, other than bands, will be limited to a minimum of six and a maximum 50 participants.

Horses and other animals. Due to safety and insurance requirements, participating animals must be noted on the regis tration form, in good medical health, and capable of coping with the distance of the parade, crowd, bright lights, and noise from other entries. No animals larger than dogs will be permited. Any unit with an animal is 100% responsible for cleaning after the animal or animals in the staging area and during the parade or having animals diapered. Remember units will be walking, marching and performing behind you.

Bead compliance. All beads that will be distributed at the parade meet or exceed current federal state and local standards and are compliant with the consumer product safety improvement act. We are aware and acknowledge the lead-free and phthalate-free stipulations contained in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, effective February 2009, or any other applicable federal, state, or local law. All organizations/units that participate in the parade must be in compliance with the consumer product safety improvement act.

PARADE LINEUP

Parade lineup begins in the staging area two hours before the parade begins (3:30 pm) and concludes one half hour before the parade begins (5:00 pm). When parade lineup ends, the staging area will be closed to vehicles/floats (5:00 pm). Any vehicles/floats that have not entered the staging area will be prohibited from doing so at this time.

All entries will access the staging area via a designated street provided by the parade committee. Assigned lineup positions will be posted at your designated lineup location. The space allocated for an entry to line up will be based on vehicles/floats listed on the registration form being positioned in a single-line formation.

DURING THE PARADE

Once a participant clears the staging area and enters onto the parade route, vehicles/floats are to remain on the eastbound lanes of Oakfield Drive (right side of the road). Vehicles/floats are not permitted to stop at any time and must require a reasonable spacing during the parade.

If an entrant has any participants throwing items to the crowd during the parade, NO THROWING MAY BEGIN UNTIL THE FLOAT HAS TURNED ONTO OAKFIELD DRIVE.

Walkers are prohibited from loading and unloading during the parade. Parade officials will be stationed along the parade route in previously identified sectors. These officials are there to serve as a resource for Brandon Parade of Lights and to monitor participants.