Parade

Planning is now underway for the return of the Steveston Salmon Festival parade on July 1, 2023. If you’re interested in participating in the parade, please fill out the application below. Questions? admin@stevestonsalmonfest.ca

PARADE 2023 APPLICATION

 

PLEASE NOTE CHANGES TO APPLICATION PROCESS

APPLICATION DEADLINE IS MAY 31st

– NO EXTENSIONS –

Thank you for applying to the 76th Annual Steveston Salmon Festival. We would like to make this year’s event a special one for our community. Please ensure to put your best efforts in decorating your floats/vehicles and costumes for individuals in your group. Your application selection will be based on entries that put more effort in designs, decorations and entertainment towards the theme of our festival.

It’s about COMMUNITY

SECTION 1 – PARTICIPANT INFORMATION

You will use this name for check-in with the parade marshals on July 1st. Please ensure all participants in your entry use this name for check in on parade day.

Applications will be confirmed by email (or phone if no email) within two weeks of submission.

OR

** All entries are subject to a $25 Administration Fee plus GST. For non-profit organizations, the fee is waived this year.

** Additionally, Commercial Business entries are subject to a $250 entry fee plus GST.

(GST# 802333112)

Upon acceptance of your application, you will receive an invoice. All fees are due by JUNE 14th deadline or your entry to the parade will be denied on July 1st.

No exceptions, no extensions.

SECTION 2 – ENTRY DESCIPTION

Please provide a detailed description of your parade entry in the space below, including any relevant details such as your plan for decorating your vehicle or float, costume / wardrobe for walking participants, and any other pertinent information. We will be jurying all applications to determine who will be accepted. This is due to the significant number of applications received each year. You must also include a photo of your entry that matches your entry description. The photo can be from last year or another event. If we do not receive a photo with your application, then your application will not be considered.

PARTICIPANTS

Maximum number of participants is limited to 50 people per entry, except marching bands. Elected officials are limited to maximum of 10 support people.

Number of people walking in your entry

If yes, how many
Make/Model
See award categories at end of rules/regs In Section 6
Please review the Parade Rules and Regulations in Section 4. All requests to distribute handouts must be approved in advance by the Salmon Festival Parade Committee. If you will be giving handouts, please describe

SECTION 3 – BIO INFORMATION FOR ANNOUNCER

2023 Steveston Salmon Festival Parade Participant Information for Announcer
Please provide a brief (max. 100 words each) background of your organization.
Please provide a brief (max. 100 words each) description of your parade entry.
Click or drag files to this area to upload. You can upload up to 10 files.
Allowed file extentions: JPG, PNG, JPEG, and PDF, Max file size: 5M, Max # of files: 10

SECTION 4 – PARADE RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS

Participants are reminded that the Steveston Salmon Festival Parade is to provide enjoyment and fun for all members of our community, and to celebrate our national and local pride on Canada Day. This purpose should be the primary goal when planning and designing your parade entry. Please read these rules and instructions carefully and communicate key information with everyone who will be participating with your entry, as this will contribute to making the day go more smoothly, enjoyably and safely.

IMPORTANT PARADE RULES

  • No parade vehicles will be allowed into staging area after 9:15 a.m. This is for safety reasons. Bring your vehicle(s) early to your assigned parking location in the staging area. No excuses, no exceptions.
  • Inform everyone in your group about the check-in directions. Read and follow the check-in directions below to help us get you and your group to your assigned parade spot as quickly and easily as possible.
  • Your entry will be expected to keep up with the parade. The pace of the parade will be set by our walkers and you will be expected to keep up with them. If your entry is unable to keep pace, then it will be removed from the parade. For the safety of all participants and spectators, there will be no exceptions to this rule.
  • Throwing items of any kind into the spectators, activities that will provoke spectators to move onto the street, or use of water guns or water balloons, or any kind of inappropriate behaviour, is NOT PERMITTED. Distribution of handouts (including candies) must be done hand-to-hand at the curb.

GENERAL PARADE RULES AND INFORMATION

We have close to 100 parade entries with more than 3000 participants to coordinate so we ask for your prompt arrival, patience and attention to the parade instructions. This will help the parade run more effectively and efficiently. Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated, especially by all the volunteers involved in putting on this parade.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Parade Sheriffs will be on site during the muster to inspect all entries for compliance with parade rules. Please ensure you have met the minimum requirements outlined below. Parade Sheriffs have the authority to remove an entrant from the parade if, in their opinion, an entry has not met the minimum expectations for the Steveston Salmon Festival Parade.

  1. PARADE MUSTERING SCHEDULE AND START TIMES
    A ‘float’ is defined as any motorized vehicle including decorated displays, mounted or towed, and decorated vehicles such as cars or trucks.7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. All floats and walking entries wishing to be judged must be in the marshalling line-up.
    Entries arriving after 8:00 a.m. will not be judged.

    8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Judging takes place. Personnel need to be with their entry while judging is taking place.

    9:15 a.m. All float/vehicle entries must be parked in the marshaling area by this time. Entries
    arriving after this time will be refused admission into the parade area. Have your vehicle
    arrive early to avoid the traffic congestion and the cut-off time.
    9:30 a.m. Children’s Bike Parade starts from 3rd Avenue and Chatham Street.
    10:00 a.m. Parade starts at 10 o’clock sharp, to the sound of the Gulf of Georgia Cannery whistle!

  2. Ensure participants in your group know the exact name of your entry as noted on your parade application. When your participants arrive, they will need to give this information to the Parade Marshal so they can be directed to their (numbered) staging area.
  3. Check-in for all floats/vehicles is on Chatham Street at 4th Avenue (please see map for directions). A Parade Marshal who will direct you to your group’s staging area will meet you at this intersection.
  4. Check-in for Marching Bands and all other walking entries is at Garry Point Park, at 7th Avenue and Chatham Street. 7th Avenue is the last southbound turn off Steveston Highway west of No. 1 Road (see enclosed map). Do not attempt to drive south on No. 1 Road to Chatham as this is for parade vehicles/floats only. You will be turned back if you take this route.

    DO NOT drive through the parade marshalling area to drop off participants.

    If you are dropping off minors, please arrange with your group to provide chaperones to meet your participants at the drop off point and escort them to their staging area.

    If you are bringing large instruments, we recommend you arrange to carpool your instruments into the marshaling area before 8:00 a.m. to avoid traffic congestion.

    Please make copies of the enclosed map for your volunteer support drivers, and instruct them on the drop-off procedure.

  5. Parade Spacing – All entries are expected to maintain a steady spacing of about 12 metres (40 feet) behind the preceding unit and monitor speed accordingly. This is an important safety issue and will be enforced. Parade Marshals will be on bicycles and stationed along the parade route to regulate spacing and take care of any problems that may arise. Please give them your cooperation and heed their instructions. The requirement to maintain parade spacing needs to be enforced to keep participants safe. If your entry does not cooperate to maintain the spacing requirements, you may not be allowed to participate in next year’s parade.
  6. Marching Band Judging – Bands will be judged as they march past the Reviewing Stand located on Moncton Street at Easthope Avenue, across from the Steveston Community Centre (see map). Awards for Marching Bands will be announced at the Main Stage after the Opening Ceremony. Please have a representative available to accept a prize should your entry be selected. Award winners will be posted on the Steveston Salmon Festival website within a week following; any unclaimed awards will be distributed to the contact person named on the entry application at a later date.
  7. No Stopping – Parade entries stopping during the parade will NOT be tolerated due to safety.
  8. Disband – All entries having completed the parade route will disperse (after turning north) onto Railway Avenue from Moncton Street. Please park support vehicles on Moncton Street east of Railway Avenue, or on Railway Avenue north or south of Moncton Street (away from the parade route).
  9. Parade Order – Greatest effort is made to come up with an order that accommodates as many requests as possible while still providing a well-balanced parade for our spectators. The Parade Marshal reserves the right to alter the placement of entries for the benefit of the overall performance of the parade and viewing experience.Announcing the parade order WILL NOT take place prior to July 1st. Our office staff appreciates your restraint in not calling or emailing the office with this request, as they do not have access to this information.
  10. Parade Entry Changes – Receipt of your application will be acknowledged within two weeks of submission. As we do receive a large volume of emails and phone calls, please avoid phoning or following up with a second email simply to enquire if we received your submission so that we can focus our time on reviewing and approving applications. Once your application is accepted, you will not receive any further communication from us until approximately one week prior to July 1st. An email with final reminders will be sent to the address indicated on the form.

Please advise us immediately if circumstances change and you are either unable to participate or if your entry has changed from your original application.

SECTION 5 – PARADE REGULATIONS

  1. THE STEVESTON SALMON FESTIVAL STRICTLY PROHIBITS DISTRIBUTING ANYTHING FROM MOVING VEHICLES. Only approved handouts may be distributed by handing items directly to spectators at the curb.

    Throwing items of any kind into the spectators, activities that will provoke spectators to move onto the street, or use of water guns or water balloons, is not permitted.

    DO NOT create a dangerous situation by throwing items into the street, which cause spectators to rush out into the parade route and potentially under the wheels of moving vehicles. Please ensure you communicate this information to everyone involved with your entry.
    If your group is found to be in violation of this rule, you may not be invited to participate in our parade the following year.
  2. Only approved handouts may be distributed during the parade. In an effort to reduce the amount of garbage we end up collecting at the end of the parade, handouts will be limited to only one type of small item per entry (e.g. a small candy or similar food item, sticker or tattoo, or a small promotional leaflet or flyer no larger than 1/3 of a letter-size sheet of paper). Please provide a sample or description of your intended handout when submitting your application. Full sheets of paper, magazines, pencils/pens, brochures, sports balls, gift bags, and other similar items are no longer accepted. If you are unsure, please ask.
  3. Each entry is limited to no more than 50 people. MARCHING BANDS ARE THE ONLY EXCEPTION. Elected officials are limited to maximum of 10 for your support group.
  4. All participants, including safety and support people, are required to be appropriately and festively dressed (to comply with the theme) for the celebration and benefit of our spectators and overall appearance of our parade!
  5. The Steveston Salmon Festival Parade is a family-oriented celebration of Canada, our culture, heritage, and community spirit. Steveston Salmon Festival officials reserve the right to refuse any entry that advocates, opposes, or depicts any political, religious, cultural or social issues that, in the opinion of the Steveston Salmon Festival, may be considered controversial, or generally detract from the Canada Day spirit and purpose of the parade.
  6. Well-behaved animals (i.e. dogs, horses) are permitted in the parade with prior approval. Animals appearing in the parade must be under strict control at all times.
  7. Please ensure your vehicle is CLEAN and PROUD to be in our parade. Vehicles that are not decorated, dirty, damaged, in poor working condition, or generally unkempt will not be permitted. We recommend that you decorate your vehicle in a Canada Day theme along with the theme relative to your entry.With the exception of vintage vehicles or show vehicles, all vehicle entries including cars, trucks, vans, semis and trailers must be fully decorated. This includes side panels, front and rear hood/bumpers, wheel rims and all other areas in a common-sense manner. Do not obstruct windows and mirrors to create a hazard for the driver. Not complying with decoration rules may result in refusal of entry at the staging area.
  8. The Parade Committee restricts float dimensions to a width of 8 feet, height of 12 feet, and length of 35 feet for a single vehicle, and 60 feet for articulated vehicles. Height restriction is due to overhead wires across the street along the parade route – please be sure of your maximum legal height.
  9. The Steveston Salmon Festival Committee accepts no responsibility for accident, injury or damage of any description arising from construction or operation of any float, nor participating in or other interests in the operation of this parade.
  10. All vehicle entries must be properly licensed and insured with a minimum of two million dollars liability insurance (ICBC). Documentation must be kept with the entry during the parade and must be provided for confirmation upon request from a Salmon Festival official.
  11. Refusal to follow the instructions of our Parade Marshals or Parade Sheriffs, or any disrespect or abuse of our volunteers, other parade participants or spectators, will not be tolerated and will be cause for removal from the parade and permanent suspension from future participation.
  12. Smoking or consumption of alcohol is NOT PERMITTED anywhere in the general parade staging area or route, nor smoking on or near any floats including inside vehicles whilst participating in our parade. Please also comply with City of Richmond Bylaws.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS (For Floats/Vehicles)

  1. Drivers must remain with their float/vehicle at all times.
  2. Ensure your vehicle’s (and towed float’s) brake system is in flawless working condition, including emergency brake systems, and that the vehicle is in good general operating condition.
  3. All floats must be properly constructed to prevent breakdown during the parade, must have a proper and safe field of vision for the driver, and have proper ventilation for driver and vehicle.Every parade float/vehicle is required to have at least two designated safety people, one on each side of the float/vehicle at all times whenever the vehicle is moving, for the duration of the parade route. Exceptions are given to military, police, fire and ambulance or similar emergency service vehicles.
  4. Each entry will assign a Captain. This person’s role and responsibility is to ensure that your entry, including your vehicle/float and individuals, keep up with the time and pace of the parade.PLEASE KEEP DISTANCE IN BETWEEN EACH FLOAT/VEHICLE TO ABOUT 12 METRES (40 FEET) APART AND KEEP UP WITH THE PACE OF THE PARADE. THIS WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED.
  5. An adult must supervise children on floats/vehicles at all times. Children walking or on a roller device alongside a float must be supervised at all times and kept clear of the vehicle. If your vehicle is carrying ANY additional handout supplies please distribute material to your walkers from the rear of the vehicle only, and never from the sides or in front. Do not allow anyone on roller devices or in any other non-pedestrian manner to approach your moving vehicle for any reason. Have adult walkers assist with handout of supplies.
  6. Your walkers must keep up with your float/vehicle at all times. If this is not possible for your group members, then your walkers will be removed from the parade route. This is for the safety of your group members as the vehicle behind you may not be able to watch out for your people.
  7. Carry a fire extinguisher. Ensure it is in good working order and you know how to use it. Fire extinguishers should be Dry Chemical type, and at least 5 lbs.
  8. Ensure the exhaust pipe is wrapped with fire retardant material where it passes near decorations and other flammable items.

SECTION 6 – Steveston Salmon Festival Parade Awards

Ted Lorenz Award – Community Group Entry – walking group or float

Seiner Award – Service Club or Church

Organization Entry – walking group or float

Troller Award – Commercial Entry

Gillnetter Award – Sports Team Entry

Sockeye Award – Decorated Float - any motorized vehicle including decorated displays mounted or towed, and decorated vehicles such as cars or trucks.

Steelhead Award – Vintage Vehicle

Minnow Award – Mascot

Junior Band or Marching Unit – Best judged on music (intonation, rhythmic precision, spirit/flare), marching (step precision, alignment, deportment), and crowd appeal (applause, cheers).

Senior Band or Marching Unit – Best judged on music (intonation, rhythmic precision, spirit/flare), marching (step precision, alignment, deportment), and crowd appeal (applause, cheers).

We do not award categories with only one entry.