PARADE APPLICATION FORM

IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ THROUGH THE ENTIRETY OF THE PARADE APPLICATION FORM, PLAYING PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE SAFETY AND OTHER RULES & REGULATIONS SECTIONS. AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE IS A WEB FORM WHERE YOU COMPLETE YOUR APPLICATION BY FILLING iN THE DETAILS OF YOUR ENTRY AND CLICKING SUBMIT.

On Saturday, November 25, 2023, the annual Christmas on the LaHave Parade will take place in Downtown Bridgewater as our kick off to this year's Bridgewater Shines season of festive events. This year marks our 15th annual parade!

This community celebration brings together thousands of people to enjoy the variety of sights and sounds of the holiday season. The parade route will be the traditional route and will begin at the NSCC Campus on High Street, turning left right on to Empire, then right on to King, then ending at the intersection of King and Dufferin.

Once again this year, volunteers will collect donations for the Bridgewater Inter-Church Food Bank along the parade route to help fill empty shelves.

Please note, if the parade is postponed as a result of rainfall/storm, weather permitting the rain date will be Sunday, November 26, at 6 p.m. Weather permitting, the parade will be capped off by a fireworks display over the riverfront. Please also note that our volunteer firefighters locally coordinate the fireworks and, as such, they are required to follow safety regulations related to weather. We'll do our best to ensure we have a bright and fun fireworks show, but some things are beyond our control. If the fireworks need to be postponed, organizers will work with members of the Bridgewater Fire Department and other supporting agencies to ensure they are rebooked as soon as possible.

NOW, ON TO THE PARADE ...
Completing your parade application and returning it prior to the deadline is extrmeely important. You may download a copy of the form and fill it out by hand by clicking here OR you can fill out the application form online below.

Parade application forms MUST be completed and submitted by Monday, November 20, 2023. If you're completing the form by hand on paper, please return it to the front desk at Town Hall, 60 Pleasant Street, in Bridgewater.

PLANNING YOUR FLOAT AND THE PARADE ROUTE

Rules, Regulations & information for Accepted Participants
Parade assembly will take place at the side/rear of the Lunenburg Campus of the Nova Scotia Community College, located on High Street in Bridgewater. Portable toilets will be provided located on site. Participants may start lining up after 3:00 p.m., and any participating floats must be in position at the marshalling area by 5:15 p.m. Participants must be ready to depart the marshalling area at 5:50 p.m.

SAFETY
Children are to be dropped off in the area identified in NSCC front parking lot and a “group leader” must be in that area to receive them. Cars shall not be permitted into the lower marshalling area.

All children must be supervised by an adult.

No entry is permitted to throw or hand out candy or other freebies from their parade float or vehicle. Handouts must be done by individuals walking in close proximity of the viewing or receiving audience.

Participants may not get on or off moving vehicles or floats.

For safety, we suggest having responsible persons walk along with the float (not more than 4).

For participant safety, handhold or safety harnesses are suggested for participant standing or sitting on floats.

Alcoholic beverages in the marshalling area and during the parade are strictly forbidden.

All electrical devices must meet safety standards and electrical output must not exceed the maximum amperage of the generator.

The use of fire on a float is not permitted.

Please be aware that it is a Motor Vehicle Act violation to ride on the back of a parade float outside of the parade route.

It is a Motor Vehicle Act violation to operate off road vehicles on town roads. These vehicles need to be loaded onto a trailer at the end of the parade route.

Pre-Approval is required for horses/live animals. Verification of insurance will be required for the owner/sponsor of horses. No livestock are permitted on the NSCC property.

After completing the parade route all floats must turn off decorative lights and music, and participants must safely exit the float.

TRUCK SAFETY
>>> 18 wheeler trucks, ½ ton and ¾ ton trucks large floats

For medium to large floats it is mandatory to have a spotter of 18 yrs of age or older per set of axle(s) and on both sides of the vehicle. Example an 18-wheeler, would require 6 spotters min.

Two spotters for front axle, two spotters for rear axles on the truck and two spotters for the rear trailer set of axles. More sets of axles more spotters. 

1/2-ton, 3/4 ton trucks would be exempt except for towing long trailers more then 18’ would require spotters for the trailer only.

Truck/ float size will be 44 ft (13.41 metres.) or less

Any float longer then 44’ , please contact Dave Hadley (902)521-3186

OTHER RULES & REGULATIONS

All entries must have a holiday theme (decorations, lights, music encouraged). Live music must be festive and floats and walking groups should only provide entertainment value suitable for a family audience and should not be purely promotional.

All registrants are required to ensure that their entries are appropriate for an all ages audience. To that end, any vehicles, floats, or even individuals that have signage, decals, or otherwise that includes vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language as deemed by the parade marshalls and/or the Christmas on the LaHave Committee will be pulled from the parade lineup and prohibited from further future participation in the parade.

Additionally, parade entrants are responsible for ensuring that any music being played is appropriate for all audiences and contains age-appropriate (clean) language. Any particpants found to be in violation will be pulled from the parade and/or prohibited from particpating in a future event for a period of time to be determined by the Christmas on the LaHave Committee.

This is an all ages event -- let's ensure that it's fun for everyone!

Only vehicles towing a float are permitted, unless pre-authorized by parade committee.

Santa Claus is presented by the title sponsor. No other entry is permitted to have Santa Claus represented.

If the above rules and regulations are not adhered to, the Town of Bridgewater and the Christmas on the LaHave Committee reserve the right to refuse participation.

By submitting an application to participate in the Christmas on the LaHave Parade, any participating parties hereby consent to and assume for themselves or their organizations and participants, all risk of loss or injury caused by or incidental to the conduct of the Christmas on the LaHave Parade. Applicants also hereby agree, on behalf of themselves or their organizations and participants, to fully assume all risk and to indemnify and save harmless the Town of Bridgewater and all its agents, employees, councillors, assigns, and successors, as well as all organizers and sponsors of the Christmas on the LaHave Parade, from any and all liability for any loss, damage, injury, or any other legal event which may occur to persons or property as a result of participation in the Christmas on the LaHave Parade. By submitting an application to participate in the Christmas on the LaHave Parade, all applicants understand and acknowledge that the image of any and all event participants may be used for promotional purposes by the Town of Bridgewater and its sponsors; applicants acknowledge that it is their responsibility to ensure that any participants involved with their float or entry are made aware that their photos/images/video of them may be used for promotional purposes by the Town of Bridgewater; that their contact information may be used by the Town of Bridgewater and its committees/commissions for the purposes of event development, marketing, and outreach including but not limited to the Christmas on the LaHave Parade of Lights and other future events; and all applicants acknowledge and confirm that they have authority to bind the above noted individual/organization/performance group/business.

Thank you for submitting your Christmas on the LaHave Parade of Lights parade application. If there are any questions of concerns around your application, a member of the Christmas on the LaHave Committee will be in touch via the information you have provided.

See you on November 26, 2022!