2025_christmas_parade_application-rules.pdf

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2025 Centreville Holiday Parade
Entry Application
DATE: Friday, December 5, 2025 – 6:30 p.m.
RAIN/SNOW DATE: Friday, December 12, 2025 – 6:30 p.m.
THEME: Bright Nights and Holiday Lights
APPLICATIONS DUE: Monday, November 17, 2025
COMPLETE ALL INFORMATION ● TYPE OR PRINT LEGIBLY
Person in charge of entry: All contact will be with this person and all correspondence sent
to this address. It is your responsibility to ensure your application has been received. Please
complete in full. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
Group Name:
Entry Title:
Contact Person:
Address:
City State Zip
Email Address
Phone (Day): Phone (Evening):
Please mark the appropriate box:
 Float  Band  Equestrian  Vehicle  Marching  Walking
**To help with supervision, safety, and gaps in the parade, the committee encourages no
walking groups.**
Will music be a part of your entry?  Yes  No
 Organization  Non-Profit Organization
 Yes, we want our parade Float unit judged. (Floats are the only entries judged.)
 No, we do not want our parade Float unit judged.
PLEASE INDICATE TOTAL LENGTH OF ENTRY
(vehicle + float)
Description of Entry: This is very important as it will be read by the announcer while you
are passing the judge’s stand – please be brief. Descriptions MUST be returned with the entry
form and may not be given to the announcer or other organizers on the night of the parade.
Descriptions will be shortened if they are longer than the space provided below.
Description of Entry:
Continued on next page…
2025 Christmas Parade Application-Rules

Centreville Christmas
Parade Entry Information Parade Entry Form
Page 2
Please place a ✓ mark on ALL that apply to your parade unit.
Example: If you have a dance group, please ✓ mark on the appropriate line and circle “Dance.”
 Float pulled by a vehicle (no longer than 65 feet total, 10 feet wide, and 14 feet in height)
 Float pulled by Semi (no longer than 65 feet total, 10 feet wide, and 14 feet in height)
 Float no towing vehicle (pulling vehicle is located under float)
 Float unit on flatbed truck
 Decorated Vehicle Only Proud sponsor of:
 Dance/Gymnastic/Twirling Group
 Boy Scout Troop
 Girl Scout Troop
 Fire Company (limited to 1 unit per company)
 Walkers (To help with supervision, safety, and gaps in the parade, the committee
encourages no walking groups.)
 Marching Band (No performances will be permitted in front of the judge’s stand.)
 Drill Team (No performances will be permitted in front of the judge’s stand.)
 Motorcycle Clubs (limited to 5 per group)
 Car Clubs (limited to 5 per group)
 Horses (must provide a clean-up person on the parade route and at the staging area)
PLEASE INDICATE TOTAL LENGTH OF ENTRY
(vehicle + float)
PLEASE BE SURE TO READ ALL RULES AND REGULATIONS
ATTACHED.
Mail this application to: Holiday Parade Committee, c/o Town of Centreville, 101 Lawyers
Row, Centreville, MD 21617. You may also drop off at this location between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30
p.m. – a door slot is also available in the front door for your convenience after business hours.
Email this application to: Gadams@TownofCentreville.org
Fax this application to: 410-758-4741
For Questions Call: 410-758-1180
Rain Date: December 12, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.
Thank you for participating in the 2025 Centreville Holiday Parade. We look forward to seeing
you on December 5th!
Centreville Holiday Parade Committee
APPLICATIONS DUE BY: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2025
2025 Christmas Parade Application-Rules

2024 Centreville Christmas Parade Route
Friday, December 5, 2025
6:30 p.m.
PARADE ROUTE
Rain date: Friday, December 12th
Queen Anne’s County
High School
PARADE ROUTE
Leave Queen Anne’s County High School at 6:30 p.m.
Proceed down Ruthsburg Road/Railroad Avenue and take a RIGHT onto Banjo Lane.
Banjo Lane and turn LEFT onto Turpins Lane.
Turpins Lane and turn LEFT onto Commerce Street.
Commerce Street and turn LEFT on Kidwell Avenue.
Kidwell Avenue and turn RIGHT on Ruthsburg Road.
The parade will continue on Ruthsburg Road and return and disband
at the Queen Anne’s County High School.
2025 Christmas Parade Application-Rules

Centreville Christmas Parade
Parade Rules & Regulations
PLEASE READ ALL INFORMATION
The theme for the 2025 Centreville Christmas Parade is Bright Nights and Holiday Lights.
The parade will be held on Friday, December 5, 2025, starting at 6:30 p.m.
RAIN/SNOW DATE: Friday, December 12, 2025.
This is a family-oriented parade. It is not an appropriate venue for political ideology, campaigns, or
social statements!
All members of your group will be expected to obey all instructions from parade officials. Failure to
do so may result in the disqualification of your entry.
GENERAL INFORMATION
ENTRY: Application period begins: Friday, September 5, 2025 – A maximum of 90
entries and only one unit per entry will be permitted.
DEADLINE: Application period ends: Monday, November 17, 2025, at 4:30 p.m.
Applications must be received no later than the above date and time. You may email, fax, mail, or
hand deliver the application. No applications will be accepted after November 17th. Any
applications received after November 18th may be able to participate, at the discretion of the Parade
Committee, however, those entries will be placed at the end of the line.
Delivery information:
Christmas Parade Committee
c/o Town of Centreville
101 Lawyers Row
Centreville, MD 21617
Phone: 410-758-1180
Fax: 410-758-4741
Email: gadams@townofcentreville.org
**A door slot is also available for use after office hours.
PARADE SCHEDULE: Monday, November 24, 2025.
The final parade line-up with line-up numbers and assembly area map will be available on the
Town’s website on or about Monday, November 24, 2025. www.townofcentreville.org
PARADE THEME: This year’s theme is Bright Nights and Holiday Lights. Entries must be
decorated to parade standards in keeping with the Holiday spirit and theme of the parade. This
includes all participants except band entries, dignitaries, and guests invited by the Centreville
Holiday Parade Committee.
REMEMBER: No Santa or Mrs. Claus allowed in entries.
SANTA: Replicas of Santa or persons dressed as Santa will not be allowed in the parade. The only
entry that is allowed to have a live Santa Claus will be the “Official Santa Float”. Any group failing
to adhere to this will be removed from the lineup (it can be quite disturbing to small children when
they see more than one Santa.) Santa hats and Elf hats are allowed and encouraged!
MRS. CLAUS: Replicas of Mrs. Claus or people dressed as Mrs. Claus are not allowed in the
parade.
2025 Christmas Parade Application-Rules

2025 Christmas Parade Application-Rules

PARADE OBJECTIVE: It is the intent of the Parade Committee to make this parade float
oriented. Trophies are awarded to floats only. Trophies will be awarded at the January ,
2026, Town Council Meeting. Trophy categories are: Most Original (1st, 2nd, 3rd); Keeping with the
Theme (1st, 2nd, 3rd); and Best Overall.
The Centreville Christmas Parade Committee is asking for participants of the parade and spectators
to donate toys for TOYS FOR TOTS. Boxes will be available for the drop off of items at the end of
Lawyers Row along the parade route.
APPLICATION: Due to the volume of applications received it is possible that not all applicants
will be selected to participate in the parade. Comments from past parades indicate that the parade
is too long therefore, we are limiting the parade to 90 entries. You will be contacted if you are NOT
selected to be in the parade, otherwise, assume you have been chosen to participate.
ARRIVAL TIME: Arrival time for line-up is no earlier than 4:00 p.m. and no later than
5:30 p.m. Please be staged and ready to pull out (everyone in place on float, vehicle, etc.) no later
than 6:15 p.m.
MARCHING BANDS: The staging area for marching bands, except for Queen Anne’s County
High School and Middle School bands, will be staged across the street from QACHS along John
Andrews Blvd. Please ensure bus drivers are aware of this!
STOPPING: No stopping is permitted unless directed to do so by parade officials. Entries must
start/restart immediately when directed by the officials. To keep the parade moving and eliminate
gaps within the parade, no performances in front of the judge’s stand will be permitted.
SAFETY: All mechanical equipment must be in a sound and safe condition, equipped with a tow bar
and/or chain mounted on the front of each vehicle and a portable fire extinguisher. At least one fire
extinguisher should be placed within easy reach of a responsible adult. Class ABC fire extinguishers
are required for floats using generators. No open flames are allowed.
All participants (especially children) on floats MUST be secured,
supervised and remain on the float at all times.
PARADE MARSHAL: The movement of the parade is very important. Personnel will be located
along the parade route to direct entries and ensure this continuity.
UNIT SIZE: An entry is defined as a unit which is motorized, walking, or powered in any manner.
Marching units (except bands) are limited to a maximum of thirty people, including the total
number of riding or walking participants. (To help with supervision, safety, and gaps in the
parade, the Committee encourages no walking groups.) Children riding on a float
must always be supervised by an adult.
PARTICIPANTS: All participants must be in Christmas colors, costumes, or at the very least,
wearing a Santa hat/Elf hat.
C ANDY: No candy or objects of any kind may be thrown to parade spectators from any parade unit.
T his is for the safety of our spectators. You may have someone walk along the parade route with your
u nit and hand out candy, etc.
BUSINESSES: Businesses are encouraged to participate but must follow the theme of the parade
with a decorated vehicle.
2025 Christmas Parade Application-Rules

STAGING AREA: It is the responsibility of each parade unit to keep your staging area clean of any
trash. Remember this area is a school zone area, and all complaints fall onto the Parade Committee.
Port-a-potties are available on the front right-hand corner of the Queen Anne’s County High School
parking lot.
LINE-UP NUMBERS: Line-up numbers are assigned by the parade committee and will be
available on the Town’s website on or about Monday, November 24, 2025. Please visit
www.townofcentreville.org to find your line up number. Please ensure all members of your group
know the line-up number or the correct name of the group prior to arriving.
ENTRY HEIGHT: No entry may be over 14 feet in height from the street to the highest point.
CANCELLATION: If you must withdraw from the parade, notify us at (410) 758-1180 or by e-
mail cbrinkley@townofcentreville.org. If the parade is cancelled or rescheduled due to weather, this
decision will be announced on the Town’s website at www.townofcentreville.org by 2:00 p.m. A
rain/snow date is scheduled for Friday, December 12, 2025.
SELECTION: All applications must be turned into the parade office on or before the deadline date
and time to be considered. We highly encourage organizations to submit entries which involve a
festive theme with motion, sound, and/or traditional Christmas music.
CONDUCT: All participants must conduct themselves in a respectful, civil, and orderly fashion.
The Christmas Parade Committee has a zero-tolerance policy toward dangerous/reckless driving
at any time!
PUBLIC MAP: A map is attached to this application which identifies the beginning and ending
parade locations. To avoid confusion, please identify drop-off and pick-up locations for your
participants before parade night. The parade will begin and end at Queen Anne’s County
High School.
SECURITY: Security is the sole responsibility of each participant. The Centreville Christmas
Parade Committee, its agents, or the Town of Centreville are not responsible for the security of any
entry, at any time, for any reason.
VEHICLES: All street vehicles must comply with Maryland laws regarding registration. Proof of
insurance must be held for each motorized vehicle. Entries using non-street vehicles must hold
proof of blanket insurance coverage for all vehicles and participants in the entry. All units must be
driven by a licensed and insured driver.
TRAILER SIZE: Entries may not be wider than a standard flatbed trailer or longer than a
standard flatbed trailer and tractor combination, approximately sixty-five feet with no extensions.
The length of the float must allow for a normal turning radius along streets taken by the parade
route and within the lineup area.
UNIT SOUND: Very loud music or noise will not be allowed within the line-up area. Sound
systems may be tested, but only for a few seconds. Music may be turned on only on the parade
route. The only music allowed to be played along the parade route is Christmas music. The style of
music and the volume at which it is played must be pleasant, tolerable, and acceptable for all
listeners, especially children. Please indicate the use of music on your entry application to ensure
proper placement in the line-up.
FIRE DEPARTMENT APPARATUS: Fire department apparatus will not be allowed to use
sirens (federals, electronic, or air horn) in parade route. Failure to follow these rules will
2025 Christmas Parade Application-Rules

compromise your company’s participation in the future. Only one unit per fire department is
permitted. Additional units arriving the night of the parade will be turned away.
GENERATOR: We encourage all parade entries to have illuminated items and lots of them! All
electrical devices must have sufficient capacity for the use intended on the float/entry. Wiring
should be properly secured to the float. Portable generators used in conjunction with float lighting
must be securely mounted on a vehicle or other base. A minimum of 12 inches of clearance should
separate any part of the generator from light and combustible materials, including decorations.
DECORATION: All floats must be 100% decorated.
SKIRTING BANNER: A banner with the name of the organization and message appropriate to
the theme/category may be displayed on three sides of the float.
SKIRTING LENGTH: Flatbeds must have their sides covered with decorative skirting.
MASCOT: Personalities or company mascots, except school band mascots, will be allowed only if
they are on a float or in a vehicle and if they follow the theme/category of the parade.
CARPOOL: Carpool to the parade, if at all possible, to cut down on downtown traffic congestion.
Please plan to be dropped off and walk into the assembly area to meet your group.
ALCOHOL: Consumption of alcoholic beverages in the assembly area or parade route is strictly
prohibited.
DISCLAIMER: The Centreville Christmas Parade Committee reserves the right to limit or exclude
any entry for non-compliance.
NO UNITS WILL BE PERMITTED TO ENTER THE STAGING AREA
(QACHS) IF AN APPLICATION WAS NEVER RECEIVED. IT IS YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE YOUR APPLICATION WAS
RECEIVED.
Proud sponsor of:
2025 Christmas Parade Application-Rules