​

WHAT’S NEW:  The Parade Staging Area has moved, and the Drop-off procedure has changed as well.  So please read these Parade Rules and Frequently Asked Questions click here <FAQ>



Please you must read the Parade Rules carefully before submitting an Application to the Parade.

Bands and Drill Teams must submit a Parade Application and send us a completed and signed W9.

​

1. All participants should decorate their float, car, etc. in the theme of the parade or in a patriotic theme.

​

2. Extra Buses, Trucks, Trailers or Motor Vehicles that are not part of a Float, will not be allowed or staged in the parade. Either you are going to turn right on Illinois or turn right on Deerpath and go East and then left on McKinley Rd all the way to Woodland Rd, where you make a left on Woodland and go west until you get to West Park.

If it is just participants you are dropping off, you should consider entering the drop off area on Illinois Rd east of Greenbay Rd.  This is a Drop-Off only area.  Then proceed East on Illinois Rd and then left on McKinley Rd all the way to Woodland Rd, where you make a left on Woodland and go west until you get to West Park parking lot.

​

3. Make sure your car or truck has a Full Tank of Gas and is in Good Mechanical Condition.

​

4. Participants in the parade must keep moving so there will be no gaps. There is no stopping allowed unless the entry directly ahead of you has done so. If a gap occurs in front of you please move forward to close the gap.

5. DO NOT THROW ANYTHING such as candy, favors, flowers or any other article from your float, car, etc. due to the danger that a child may run into the street and be injured.  If you wish to pass things out, have someone walk along the parade route on each side of the float or group to hand out the articles.  Anyone violating this policy will be pulled out of the parade.

​

6. Alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited.

​

7. THIS YEAR THERE WILL BE ONLY 80 PARADE FLOATS TOTAL.  Twenty of those spaces are for the multiple Color guards, American Legion Post 264 entries, Military Bands, Post dignitaries, City Mayors past and present, City council members, etc.  That leaves 60 other parade slots.  Any parade float application over 60 will only be accepted if another entry has dropped out of the parade.  So please submit your free parade application early!  Only the first 60 PARADE APPLICATIONS received by July 15 will be accepted and eligible for awards and receive a Parade Order Number. Entries after that date will be positioned at the end of the Parade only if SPACE IS available. Check your email.  Parade staging information, (Parade Order Number),  will be available on/or before July 31 after 3:00 P.M. and sent via email and on this website using this tab <Map and Parade Order>.  Final Note:  If you need to cancel your entry in the parade, please contact us before July 12th, so that we can make that space available to another participant. 

​

8. You MUST include your TV announcer narrative with your application. Otherwise the TV announcer will skip your entry.  It takes enormous amount of time to manually add your narrative after your application has been entered.  DO NOT LEAVE IT BLANK.

​

9. You MUST print your own Parade Order Number and attach it to the inside of your passenger side window BEFORE arriving at the parade staging area. The parade staging area has changed.  Enter the staging area from Western Ave at vine St.  Continue East on Vine to Oakwood Avenue.  You will be directed from there.  See <Map and Parade Order>.

10.  For the safety of all Parade Participants, especially children, we encourage Parade Entries to gather their participants, especially children, on their floats before entering the Western Ave. staging area.

11. It is the responsibility of the Parade Float owner/manager to forward directions to all of their participants on where to meet and where to park and especially share the "Parade Order Number" so everyone knows where your float is located.* On Parade Day, Free Parking is available at all the downtown city lots.

​

Arrival & Staging

• Please arrive between 8:30 - 9:15 AM. Early arrivals create safety issues.

• Late arrivals will be placed at the end of the parade if space allows.

• Parade begins at 10:00 AM.

• Floats #21–80: Enter Western Ave. from Westleigh Rd. (south), turn left onto Vine St., then continue to Oakwood Ave. Follow officials in safety vests to your assigned staging area.

• Print and display your Parade Order Number on the passenger-side windshield before arriving.

• Deerpath, Illinois, Western Ave. Parade Route roads are closed to traffic at 9:30 AM, so arrive early.

Drop-Off (Adults/Non-Children)

• Temporary drop-off is available on Illinois Rd. between Green Bay Rd. and Oakwood Ave. until 9:30 AM.

• No parking in the drop-off zone.

• After drop-off, use designated exit routes and park in an approved city lot (City Hall lot is not available).

​

Drop-Off (Children)

• Parents/guardians must park and walk children to their float.

• Use Green Bay Rd to Illinois Rd., turn left on Bank Lane, then a right into the parking lot. Park, and walk to Oakwood Ave. Use the Parade Order Number to find your float.

• Exit the lot before 9:30 AM using posted traffic directions.

Designated Exit Route

• Go East Only - on Illinois or Deerpath. Turn right on Western to go south, or Left on McKinley Rd.  Deerpath, Illinois, Western Ave and Parade Route Roads closed to traffic at 9:30 AM, so arrive early.

Parking

• Gorton Center (400 E. Illinois Rd.)

• Train Station Lots (entrances just west of McKinley Rd.)

• Any City parking lot except City Hall.​

• North Shore Lot (west of Gorton on McKinley Rd.)

Child Pickup

• At the end of the parade, an adult from each organization must escort children to Parade Headquarters in West Park (southeast of the tennis courts) and remain until every child is picked up.

• Suggested parking for pickup:

• West Park

• QUARTA City Lot (771 N. Oakwood Ave.)

• If you park your car before the Parade and want to stay for the Carnival, you can also park in West Park where the Carnival is being held. More information can be found using this tab <Map and Parade Order>, or http://www.lakeforestday.com/parade-map. Thank you for your cooperation.

​

12. How important is the length of our float? In order to have enough room for your float, it is important that we have an accurate measurement of how long your float is.  A description of your float also helps us gauge its length.

​

13. PLEASE NOTE: We have one hour to stack 80 floats in order. If you follow this simple procedure of displaying your Parade Order Number either on the inside or outside of your passenger side window before you enter Western Avenue, and stopping at the correct Cone Number, it will allow us to safely order you in the parade.

14. After entering the staging area with your Parade Order Number on the inside passenger window, please stop at your group of ten, that is the highest number of your group of ten.  Example your number is 75, stop at 79. In the seventies (70-79), stop at 79; in the sixties (60-69), stop at 69;  in the fifties (50-59) stop at 59; in the forties (40-49) stop at 49; in the thirties (30-39) stop at 39; in the twenties (20-29) stop at 29; in the teens (10-19) stop at 19; and 1-9, please stop at 9.  One of the parade volunteers will walk with you to your spot. This helps us deal with any issues of float length, music or someone in the wrong spot.

​

Thank you for your cooperation.   On your mobile phone, click on your decade + sign and it will tell you where to STOP.

Contact Us Form: Use this form only to ask a question if you have read the "Parade Rules" above and the "Frequently asked Questions" and have not found your answer. Please read them before submitting an application. Thank you for your cooperation.     Note:  * is a required field.