01. No entry may depict Santa Claus and/or Mrs. Claus or Santa’s float. Violation of this rule will result in expulsion from the parade and future parades

02. No entry may depict anything political, controversial or otherwise offensive within the sole discretion of the London Santa Claus Parade Committee.

03. All entries, commercial & non-commercial are to keep their advertising to a minimum. Maximum sign size 6’ by 2’ for each of two sides of entry. Note donor signs limited to 1’ by 1’ on each of two sides of the float.

04. For an entry to be accepted into this year’s London Santa Claus Parade it must conform to the parade’s rules and regulations, it must have their application and application fee in the parade office on or before the deadline date and have the final approval of the London Santa Claus Parade Committee. No entry is in the parade until approved by committee.

05. No entry may distribute literature, pamphlets, leaflets, brochures, flyers or any other written or printed material to the spectators of the London Santa Claus Parade unless approved in writing by the parade Committee in advance of the parade date.

06. There will be no premature exiting of the parade route (with the exception of an emergency) it is expected that all entries complete the parade route from start to finish.

07. Entries must be entertaining to a family audience

08. All entries that constitute a float must be fully decorated with a minimum of 500 lights. If there is a tow vehicle it must be decorated and lit as well.

09. The London Santa Claus Parade Committee asks all entries to give considerable thought and time to the creativity and design of their float/entry. Parade entries are to be attractive not a moving billboard.

10. The London Santa Claus Parade Committee recommends that all riders on all floats/entries be dressed in matching costumes, uniforms etc. To match the theme of the parade or their entry.

11. All entries must be responsible for ensuring that the design and operation of their float/entry is safe and reliable. The driver must remember at all times that there are passengers on board and their safety is a number one priority.

12. All vehicles must be in good mechanical condition and properly serviced prior to the parade. Special attention must be paid to cooling and exhaust systems, brakes, steering and tires.

13. Provisions for emergency towing must be available on all motorized entries (e.g. tow hook, tow chain). If it becomes necessary due to a breakdown each entry is responsible for securing their own towing at their expense. Breakdowns must be removed from the parade route as quickly as possible.

14. Automobiles are restricted to a mode of transportation for invited guests, dignitaries etc. (ex.: grand marshals) and are not acceptable as a sole entry.

15. SUVs’, pick-up trucks and flatbed cabs are restricted to being a towing unit only, and must be fully decorated to match the float/entry they are towing. The committee may rule in specific cases.

16. Antique vehicles are permitted as a mode of transportation for invited guests or as part of an entry.

17. Floats must be fully decorated and no part of the vehicle on which the float is built, including the towing unit or float chassis must be visible. All flatbeds and other trailers must have skirting to hide all wheel wells and the underside of the trailer below the floor of the float.

18. All entries must relate to this year’s theme and be generously lit to accommodate for the night-time parade format.

19. Each entry is allowed to have a banner not to exceed 6’ by 2’ carried by their own people in front of their float. They must provide their own banner and minimum of two people to carry the banner along the parade route. You may also have up to two small signs (maximum 1’ by 1’) to acknowledge donors to your entry. Anything larger in size or quantity in signs is subject to a fee schedule listed on our website www.londonsantaclausparade.ca

20. Any entry that makes changes to what appeared on their written application that would have resulted in additional entry fees must notify the parade committee prior to the start of the parade or the additional charges plus a 50% surcharge will be billed and is payable within 10 days of the parade. The committee must also approve all additions prior to the start of the parade and if for any reason they do not approve them those additions may not take part in the parade. These extras may include but are not limited to: additional vehicles, additional mascots, additional walking groups and additional signs. You must make the committee aware of any changes to your entry that did not appear on your original entry form that would result in additional entry fees. The Parade committee has the right to waive or adjust lower any additional fees if they see fit.

21. The London Santa Claus Parade Committee has the final right to disallow any entry for any reason they see fit and the entry fee is non-refundable.

22. Any entry that does not show up for the parade or does not arrive in time will not receive any refund of any kind.

23. No one is permitted to collect donations of any sort unless a permit from the City of London is provided along with written consent from the London Santa Claus Parade.
* Please Note: Any money collected will be done by people wearing a London Santa Claus Parade penny and all donations are property of the London Santa Claus Parade.

SAFETY INFORMATION

01. No material (including candy) may be thrown from any entry. It must be distributed by hand along the edge of the parade route. Children will dart into the street for thrown items and could be injured very easily.

02. Any entry caught throwing candy or otherwise in breach of this rule will be required to exit the parade immediately without refund of fees or other recourse. A violation may result in exclusion from future parades.

03. Any alcohol or illegal drug consumption or possession is strictly forbidden before, during and after the parade. Any individuals that are caught will be dismissed from the parade immediately and turned over to the proper authorities. Violations of this rule by paid entertainment could result in forfeiture of all or part of performance fees at the sole discretion of the Parade Committee.

04. All entry’s decorative materials must be fire retardant.

05. All entry’s fuel tanks should be topped off just prior to the parade. Any type of fuel storage receptacle other than original equipment will not be allowed on any parade entry.

06. All motorized vehicles must carry a fire extinguisher and first aid kit. The fire extinguisher must have been approved, charged, sealed and tagged to indicate the last date of service (within 180 days of the parade date). The
extinguisher must be accessible and the operator familiar with its operation.

STAGING, PARADE ROUTE AND DE-STAGING

01. It has been recommended by the London Police Force that no riders be on their float or entry in transit to the registration-staging area. There is a city by-law prohibiting this and all riders will be asked to get off their entry if they are caught violating this rule.

02. Riders will only be allowed to ride on their float/entry from the staging area, along the parade route to the de-staging area. All participants and individuals shall not mount or dismount from floats or other entries along
the parade route (with the exception of an emergency situation). Drivers and other persons on all entries must have a means of rapid escape in an emergency.

03. Once an entry has reached the de-staging area (end of the parade route) all riders on that entry must get off their entry in the de-staging area.

04. All float/entry riders should make arrangements beforehand to have someone pick them up in the vicinity of the de-staging area. Remember, that only parade entries will be allowed in the de-staging area so you have to meet your ride outside the de-staging area.

PARADE MARSHAL INFORMATION

01. All instructions of the parade marshals and their officials must be obeyed. Failure to do so may result in removal from the parade and may jeopardize participation in future parade.

02. Parade marshals and officials reserve the right to remove any entry, at any time, whether as a result of concerns for safety, interference with the parade’s progress or not meeting all of the requirements referenced above. No refunds of any type will be made.

ENTRY FORM, FEE AND DEADLINE INFORMATION

01. The first twenty nine (29) entries, commercial & non-commercial, that meet all of the requirements referenced above and also the approval of The London Santa Claus Parade Committee will be accepted providing that no expulsion of that entry is in existence.

02. The entry form must be fully completed and the appropriate entry fee must accompany the entry form and be received by the parade office on or before deadline date.

03. Entry fees may only be paid by cheque or money order made payable to The London Santa Claus Parade Corporation.

04. Any entry that has not paid by the deadline date or that was granted an extension to parade date and is not paid will not be allowed to participate in the parade and no refund for any deposit paid or donation will be made. The parade committee will not be responsible for any costs incurred in any instance.

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING BANNED ENTRIES

If the parade committee has to ban any entry from participation in any parade then no other entry may use their float or any part of their entry in the parade nor may they advertise in any way for the banned entry.

Major personnel from the banned entry are not allowed to be in the parade in any way and any entry co-operating with a banned entry will not be allowed to take part in the parade and there will be no refund of any kind.

INSURANCE COVERAGE

Every entry must have their own liability insurance coverage on their vehicles, entry parts and participants to protect themselves and the London Santa Claus Parade Corporation in event of an accident or other incident that might cause a claim against them or the parade corporation.