Rules & Regulations

The Warrenton Christmas Parade is a family-friendly event for all ages, and every entry in the parade is expected to respect this. All costumes, outfits, behavior, attitude, language, and dance moves must be appropriate for a young audience and will be held to a high standard.

We kindly request your cooperation in ensuring the safety of each and every one attending the much-anticipated Warrenton Christmas Parade. We urge everyone to help us spread holiday cheer by taking a few moments to read through the Rules and Regulations of this event. By doing so, you will help us maintain order and create an environment that is secure, relaxed, and fun-filled for all. Your support is much appreciated as we are committed to making this event an unforgettable experience.

Entry Form Rules

Your parade entry must arrive at the parade route as it is described on your entry form. No changes are permitted the day of the parade (i.e., unspecified vehicles/floats). Any unauthorized changes or additions to your entry may cause disqualification of your unit at the time of the Parade.

The deadline to register for the Parade is TBD.

Registrants are only allowed to enter one business or organization per form.

No changes are allowed to an entry after the registration deadline.

The Santa Clause

ABSOLUTELY NO dressing in Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus costumes permitted. (The parade committee selects “official” Santa for the final float). Santa hats are permitted.

Safety Guidelines for Children

Each entry must provide at least two adult supervisors to walk the parade route or be on the float.

Children 12 and under are prohibited from walking alongside moving parade floats, vehicles and other motorized units.

Don't be a Party Pooper!

All animal entries are required to provide at least one costumed member of their unit to work POOPER SCOOPER duty. The participant is required to be equipped with a scooper and container to clean behind the animals as they walk the parade. Help us keep Main Street Warrenton beautiful by cleaning up after your animals.

Vehicle Specification Guidelines

No vans, utility vehicles, etc. are permitted without tasteful Christmas decoration, or an attached float illuminated for the nighttime parade.

Vehicle entries are required to carry a 5-pound 3A40BC fire extinguisher. Available for purchase at any hardware store.

No protruding outrigger wheels or other appendages that might snare and injure bystanders.

No propane trucks are permitted during the Parade.

Any single-unit truck should exceed 40-feet in length. Any combination vehicle (power unit plus trailer) which is connected using a pintle-hook or ball hitch system should not exceed 40-feet in length as measured from the forward most vehicle component to the rearmost component of the trailer.

Any combination vehicle which is connected using a fifth-wheel assembly should not exceed 40-feet in length as measured from the forward most vehicle component to the rearmost component of the trailer, unless previously approved.

Vehicle Operation Guidelines

No unit, float or vehicle may make aggressive, abrupt or rapid movements at any point during the parade route.

Demonstrations of maneuverability, horsepower, speed agility, etc., is not permitted.

Absolutely NO items may be thrown from floats or vehicle! Including but not limited to; candy, beads, toys and pamphlets.

All items MUST be handed out to parade goers.

Distracted driving is UNACCEPTABLE and any use of Ipods, MP3 players, cellphones, smartphones, camcorders and any other handheld devices by drivers during the parade WILL NOT be tolerated.

Parade Line-Up

Line-up times begin at 4:30 p.m. for large vehicles and 5:00 p.m. for all other entries. Entries not in position by 5:30 p.m. will not be allowed to participate and will forfeit their participation. Due to high volume traffic, we strongly recommend planning one-hour ahead of time for arrival. If you haven’t reached your spot by 5:30 p.m., you won’t make it in time for the parade start due to the crowds.

Non-parade vehicles are not permitted into the staging areas. Groups should establish a meeting place outside of the parade divisions to meet and then walk to pre-assigned lineup division.

Parents dropping off members of your float/entry should pre-arrange a meeting/drop off location outside of the parade route and then walk to pre-assigned lineup division.

Parade Route

The parade route will begin at the intersection of Meetz, Lee and Main Street and end at the intersection of Waterloo Street and Pelham Street. Entries can continue straight and unload at Warrenton Middle School or turn left onto Pelham Street and unload on Lee Street. NO entries should stop anywhere other than those two locations to unload.

Entries will not pause and/or stop to perform at any locations.

Vehicles must go straight on the parade route and should maintain a walking-pace speed.

Must stay within 20 feet of the entry in front of you.

Walking entries may perform forward motion drills, dancing, etc. on the parade route as long as they continue to move forward down the street in a timely manner.

Please don't end up on our
Naughty List!

Failure to comply with any of the above rules or regulations may result in being asked to leave the parade immediately with no warning and may jeopardize a group’s approval to participate in future year’s events.

All decisions are FINAL and are made at the discretion of Parade Officials.