Parade Rules and Registration

CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION, PARADE RULES AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION

•    The parade is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 13, 2025. Rain or shine.

•    ALL entries MUST be decorated for the Holidays.

•    ALL entries MUST be safe for passengers, participants, and spectators.

•    All parade vehicles including float towing vehicles must be driven by currently licensed and insured drivers.

•    Parade line up begins at 3:00 p.m. beside Spring Hill Elementary School. Use Beechcroft Road to to enter line-up area on Toone Prados Street, DO NOT attempt to enter from Main Street. See map.

•    Participants may be dropped off at the Senior Center, 563 Maury Hill Street. See map. --- NO CARS ARE ALLOWED IN THE LINE-UP AREA OTHER THAN THOSE PARTICIPATING IN THE PARADE; ANY OTHERS WILL BE TOWED AT OWNER’S EXPENSE! We will have many moving vehicles in the parade, and extras only prohibit an efficient line-up. Parade workers will be on site to give you instructions

•    All participants must be on site by 4:00 p.m.

•    Judging will begin at 4:00 p.m. at the front of the line-up. Your entry name must be present on your entry. See (Parade Contest Information at end of form).

•    From Spring Hill Elementary School, the parade will progress north on Main Street to Miles Johnson Parkway. Miles Johnson Parkway westbound- to Belshire Way – to Lowe’s is the exit route at the end of the parade.

•    Marching Bands/Performers/Groups walking will exit the parade route into the First Baptist Church Parking lot where they can be picked up after the parade. Remember to assign an adult to chaperone to your group if there are any minors.

•    Harvey Park will be blocked off as a designated drop off area for those on floats who do not want to stay on their float all the way to Lowe’s. These participants may wait in the park to be picked up. Remember to assign an adult to chaperone any children.

•    Any other pick-up areas/arrangements will need to be coordinated by your group.

•    Maximum height for all entries is 14ft from the ground. No exceptions.

•    The Spring Hill Christmas Parade will be held during evening hours and is a “lighted” parade, meaning all entries should attempt to incorporate Christmas lights into their entries otherwise the entry may not be visible to the spectators.

•    THERE IS ONLY ONE SANTA CLAUS AND ONE MRS. CLAUS! Do not include anyone dressed as a traditional Santa or Mrs. Claus (red & white suit, white beard, white hair, etc.) as a part of any entry. The city will have the official Santa couple on their own float and others create confusion for children. Non-traditional Santa’s (examples: Blue or green “Santa style suit” with no beard; children or females in “Santa style suit” or hat, etc.) are permitted.

•    No individual walkers. Groups on foot must have a minimum of 10 people in your group. Less than 10 must be on a float to avoid delays in parade progression.

•    This is a FORWARD MOVING PARADE. STOPPING OR REVERSING DIRECTION along the parade route is not permitted. Performance groups must perform “on the go.”

•    Profanity or suggestive audio, video, graphics, or signage is not permitted. Parade committee, parade officials, and/or city representatives reserve the right to require entrants to immediately remove anything deemed offensive.

•    Christmas music is allowed provided it is not offensive. Parade committee, parade officials, and/or city representatives reserve the right to require entrants to immediately terminate any music deemed inappropriate.

•    Each entry should have their name prominently displayed on your entry where it can easily be seen by the judges and the spectators that will be standing on both sides of the street.

•    For safety, nothing can be handed out or tossed into the crowd, including candy.

•    Float chaperones (2-4 individuals walking beside a float) are allowed to ensure the safety of those on the float.

•    No dangling of legs over the edge of floats.

•    There must be a responsible adult on-board monitoring children on floats. No youth participants are to be left unattended at any time.

•    No animals including but not limited to horses, mules, dogs, etc.

•    No smoking or alcohol on or near any parade entry, at any time.

•    Maintain a slow, steady pace along the parade route with at least 10 feet of space between entrants. Watch the crowd carefully.

•    With a few specific exceptions (emergency services vehicles, City float, and high school bands, etc.), the parade lineup will be determined on a “first come, first serve” basis on the day of the parade as space within the lineup area allows, and as determined by parade workers and volunteers.

•    Entry fees must be paid in full by November 30, 2025, in order to participant in the parade. Fees can be paid by clicking on the link at the end of this form.

•    All entries must sign the release below and return it with their completed registration form (and non-profit documentation where applicable) to parks@springhilltn.org.

•    The Parade Committee reserves the right to remove any entrant not conforming to these rules and regulations as well as any entrant refusing to follow instructions of the police or parade officials.

•    The Conditions of Participation, Parade Rules and Important Information is subject to change without prior notice.