2023 Parade Rules & Regulations
Parade Date: Saturday, November 11, 2023
PARADE RULES AND REGULATIONS
1. The National Peanut Festival is celebrating its 79th year, and this year’s Festival theme is: “Peanuts Galore and So Much More!”
2. The deadline for parade entry forms is October 6, 2023. Any applications received after this date WILL NOT be accepted. All applications will be reviewed; however, receipt of application does not insure acceptance. Script information will be sent by October 15 to those who are accepted.Line up positions will be mailed the first week of November.
3. All entries must be approved by the National Peanut Festival.
4. ALL COMMERCIAL ENTRIES MUST BE A FLOAT, and will be charged a $100 entry fee. Entry fees must be paid in full by October 6, 2023. Entry fees are not refundable unless applications are rejected.
5. All entry fees or float payments must be made either with cash, business check, cashier’s check or money order. Please make checks payable to: National Peanut Festival or NPF.
6. Each entry must be submitted on an official parade entry form. Please check to be sure that you haveincluded each of the following (where applicable):
A. APPLICATION
B. SIGNED LIABILITY DISCLAIMER
C. ENTRY FEE (COMMERCIAL ENTRIES ONLY)
D. SKETCH (FLOATS)
7. The National Peanut Festival reserves the right to placement of all parade units. Placement will be determined for the most pleasant, smooth running parade possible.
8. No one younger than age 12 will be allowed to walk in the parade.
9. All automobile signs will be furnished by the National Peanut Festival.
10. THERE WILL BE NO THROWING OR HANDING OUT OF OBJECTS FROM THE PARADE UNITS. VIOLATORS WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED FROM THE PARADE BY THE PARADE MARSHALS.
11. There will be NO SOLICITATION OF FUNDS along the parade route.
12. NO ONE WILL DISMOUNT TO GREET OR WALK AMONG THE SPECTATORS. VIOLATORS WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE PARADE BY PARADE MARSHALS.
13. All final judging will be done at the Reviewing Stand.
FLOATS
14. The cost for a basic float from the NPF Float Builder is $1,000.Checks will be made payable to the National Peanut Festival or NPF.
15.Sponsors for Miss and Little Miss Contestants, who are renting a float from the National Peanut Festival Float Builder, must pay for their floats in full by September 19, 2023. Any sponsor who fails to pay their entire float fee by this deadline may cause their contestants to be disqualified from the NPF pageants.
Other float entries built by the National Peanut Festival Float Builder:
A. Must be ordered from the Float Builder by September 19, 2023.
B. A 50% deposit will be required on September 19th for businesses or organizations who are not sponsors for Miss and Little Miss Contestants. Floats must be paid in full by October 20, 2023. Failure to pay for floats in full by Friday, October 20th will void your contract with the float builder and you will not have a float in the 2023 parade. Only cash, business checks, money orders or a cashier’s check will be accepted.
ALL FLOATS
A. Must be submitted on an official parade entry form.
B.THIS YEAR, EACH FLOAT ENTRY MUST PROVIDE THEIR OWN VEHICLE TO PULL THEIR FLOAT. LIABILITY INSURANCE WILL BE REQUIRED ON THE VEHICLE PULLING THE FLOAT.YOU MAY PROVIDE THAT PROOF OF INSURANCE ON FRIDAY, WHEN THE FLOAT IS TAKEN TO THE HOUSTON COUNTY FARM CENTER.
C. Float must be at least 15 feet in length.
D. Floats may be pulled by truck, SUV or personal vehicle only!
E. Riders must be sitting or stationary.
F. FLOATS MUST BE AT THE ASSEMBLY POINT BY 2:00 PM ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH, 2023. ASSEMBLY POINT IS THE HOUSTON COUNTY FARM CENTER.
G. THE VEHICLE THAT YOU PROVIDE TO PULL YOUR FLOAT MUST REMAIN OVERNIGHT AT THE FARM CENTER.SECURITY WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE NPF.
H.DRIVERS MUST BE AT THE FARM CENTER NO LATER THAN 6:00 A.M. ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11.THEY WILL BE ESCORTED TO THEIR LINE-UP POSITION BY THE DOTHAN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I.IF YOU BUILD YOUR OWN FLOAT, IT DOES NOT HAVE TO RETURN TO THE HOUSTON COUNTY FARM CENTER AFTER THE PARADE.
FINAL JUDGING WILL BE DURING THE PARADE AT THE VIP REVIEWING STANDS.
ALL FLOAT RIDERS, EXCEPT 2023 MISS & LITTLE MISS NPF CONTESTANTS, WILL NEED TO BE AT THE PARADE ROUTE BY 8:00 AM AND MUST KNOW THEIR UNIT NUMBER. PLEASE ENTER HWY 84 EAST AT SOUTHEAST HEALTH AND DRIVE WEST UNTIL YOU SEE A PARADE MARSHAL.
FLOAT RIDERS MUST BE PICKED UP AT THE 1700 BLOCK OF WEST MAIN STREET, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PARADE. NPF PAGEANT CONTESTANTS WILL RECEIVE INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE PAGEANT COMMITTEE.
FOR SAFETY REASONS, PLEASE DO NOT GET OFF YOUR FLOAT UNTIL YOU GET ASSISTANCE FROM A PARADE OFFICIAL.
16. The “Joe Whatley Float Awards” will be presented to the top 5 floats based on the following criteria:
Originality ………………………………………….…… 30%
Decorative Quality ……………………………….... 25%
Use of Theme ……………………………………….... 25%
Use of Peanuts or Peanut Products
(real or artificial) ………………………………….... 20%
17. Prize money for these awards will be:
1st Place ………………………………..…………...… $300
2nd Place ………………………………..………….... $250
3rd Place ………………………………..……..……… $200
4th Place ………………………………….…………… $150
5th Place ………………………………..……..……… $100
18. The “President’s Award” for the Best Overall Float will receive $500.
19. The “Jack M. Tyson Award” for the Most Creative and Original Float will receive $400.
20. The “Harry Teasley Award” will be presented to the entry representing the best use of the theme.
This float will receive $500.
21.“The Ronald Coleman Award” will be presented to the entry representing the best use of peanuts and peanut products.This float will receive $500.
22. Any float not constructed by the Festival Contractor must submit a sketch of the proposed float with their application.
BANDS
23.Each participating band will receive $550 to help offset the cost of the bus drivers.
24.Bands will not be competing during the parade.
25. Each participating band member will receive a complimentary ticket to the National Peanut Festival after their performance. These tickets will be given out by your band director after the parade.
26. BAND LINE-UP TIME IS 7:30 AM ON HIGHWAY 84 EAST.ALL BUSES MUST BE OFF THE PARADE ROUTE BY 8:15 AM.BAND MEMBERS ARE REQUESTED NOT TO FILTER BACK INTO THE PARADE ROUTE AFTER COMPLETION OF THE PARADE.
HIGH SCHOOL ROTC UNITS
27. All ROTC units must have a minimum of 12 members. Members will each receive a complimentary NPF ticket at Parade.
28. THERE WILL BE NO STOPPING THE PARADE ROUTE.
29. Each unit should be preceded by its own color guard.
30. All ROTC units will assemble in the Civic Center Parking Lot at 8:00 AM.
SPECIAL GUESTS
31.Any current national or state office holders.
32. Area Mayors, Dothan City & Houston County Commissions.
33. Dignitaries invited by the National Peanut Festival Board of Trustees.
34. Agricultural Queens and Festival Queens with reciprocal Parade agreements with the National Peanut Festival will be sent an invitation from the National Peanut Festival. Participants must be age 17 or over.
Any special guest or parade participant who holds more than one title, must decide which title they wish to represent in the parade.
A FLOAT IS REQUIRED AND MUST BE PROVIDED BY APPLICANT FOR ANY OTHER SPECIAL GUESTS NOT MENTIONED ABOVE.
MILITARY UNITS
37. Military units from Fort Novosel will be escorted to the line-up by Dothan Police.
38. Military units will assemble at the Civic Center Parking Lot at 8:00 AM. SPECIAL PARKING WILL BE DESIGNATED AT THE END OF THE PARADE ROUTE FOR THEIR VEHICLES.
SHRINE UNITS
39. Enter Hwy 84 from Southeast Health from 7:00 – 7:30 AM. Reload your units at Northcutt Drugs on Main Street. For the safety of spectators: Shrine Units will be asked to travel in a straight line down the parade route and remain in the two middle lanes. Violators of this safety rule will be removed from the line-up.
WALKING UNITS
NO ONE YOUNGER THAN 12 YEARS OF AGE WILL BE ALLOWED TO WALK IN THE PARADE.
40.Walking units must be non-profit organizations or characters or mascots of businesses invited by the National Peanut Festival to participate in the parade. Costumes, uniforms or matching outfits are required. Entries must be of entertainment value as determined by the National Peanut Festival Board of Parade Committee.
41. The classifications of walking units are:
A. Cheerleaders…March with their bands.
B. Clown Groups… will not be assigned a number, but walk freely through the parade.
(No hand-outs!)
C. Walking Characters… will be assigned a unit number.
CHARACTERS WITH COSTUMES THAT MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO WALK THROUGH THE ENTIRE PARADE ROUTE MUST PROVIDE THEIR OWN VEHICLE.
SPECIAL NOTES TO ALL PARTICIPANTS:
FLOAT RIDERS WILL NEED TO BE PICKED UP AT THE 1700 BLOCK OF MAIN STREET.
SPECIAL GUESTS, WHO ORIGINALLY ASSEMBLED AT THE VIP COFFEE, WILL BE RETURNED BY SHUTTLE TO THE VIP REVIEWING STANDS.
PARADE MARSHALS, WEARING BRIGHT ORANGE VESTS, WILL BE STATIONED ON EVERY BLOCK AND WILL BE HAPPY TO ASSIST YOU.
SPECIAL RULES REGARDING VEHICLES:
VEHICLES WILL BE LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING PARADE PARTICIPANTS ONLY! ALL OTHERS WILL NEED TO PROVIDE AN APPROVED FLOAT.
SPECIAL GUESTS (LISTED ON PAGE 3)
MILITARY
MEDIA
HOST CITY VEHICLES
LAW ENFORCEMENT
CHARACTERS OR MASCOTS FROM BUSINESSES INVITED BY THE NATIONAL PEANUT FESTIVAL.
WINNERS OF AUTHORIZED NPF COMPETITIVE EVENTS (CUBMOBILE, ETC.)