Parade Participation

4th of July Parade Participation

 
The Park Cities 4th of July Parade is a fun community building event for the entire family.  All entries should be decorated with a patriotic, 4th of July theme. Parade participants with floats, horses, and motorized vehicles begin lining up around 7:30 a.m., starting at the Highland Park Town Hall building and extending eastward along Euclid Avenue then northward on Byron Avenue for regular floats.  Antique vehicles, school groups, and dignitaries line up in other locations, so please see the lineup map and the access map of how to get to your specific lineup location.   All lineup is on a first come, first serve basis.
 

The parade begins at 9:00 a.m. sharp, rain or shine and takes about an hour to traverse the parade route ending at Centennial Park located next to the University Park City Hall. If there is lightning, HP Police and Fire will decide whether the parade proceeds, is delayed, or is canceled.  Port-a-lets are available on the north side of the HP Town Hall in the enclosed parking lot in case you need them as you wait for the parade to start.

No preregistration is required unless you are bringing horses or have a professionally made float or specialty vehicle that may have trouble traversing the parade route.  If you have one these specialty “floats,” please email us at ParkCitiesParade@gmail.com to register.  With respect to float size limitations, please make sure that your float complies with HP and UP traffic rules and is no taller than 12 feet so that it can easily pass underneath traffic signals and electric lines.

All other parade participants must complete a registration form during the lineup prior to the parade. Rotary members will distribute and collect these registration forms from participants during the line up process.

No cost to Participate.  There’s no cost to be in the parade, but we hope that in lieu of a cost, you will donate to the parade’s beneficiary, the North Texas Food Bank.  To date, the parade has raised enough funds to provide over 2.4 million meals to needy north Texans.  To donate now, you may use the QR code shown below, or you may donate during the registration process with a QR code that will be in your registration packet.
 
 

Two Decisions That All Parade Participants Must Make:

  1.  Best Decorated Float Contest.  Participants may choose to enter the best float contest.  You will be asked as you register whether you want to be in the contest.  If you choose to enter, you will be given a placard to tape to the outside, passenger side of your windshield at the bottom.  We will provide the tape for your use, if needed.  Judging will occur at the south entrance to the Dallas County Club along Beverly Drive, so look your best at this location.  The winner is invited to a Rotary luncheon as our guest in August or September on a date that is convenient for you.  At this luncheon, you will be presented a trophy that you may keep for one year.  Previous winners have enjoyed the bragging rights of having the trophy on display at their home or business.
     
  2. Parade Exit.  When you are in the lineup, you will receive a map showing how to exit the parade from Centennial Park.  Please look at this parade exit map.  If you intend to stop to let your float riders off for the festival, stay on the righthand side of Turtle Creek AFTER the intersection with Vassar to let them off along the righthand curb.  If you are a school group, you should receive a placard for your vehicle so that your riders can exit your float PAST the intersection of Turtle Creek and Vassar in a similar manner as described above. Vehicles with no exiting passengers will continue along the lefthand side of Turtle Creek and proceed to exit at Lovers Lane. 
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