Line up begins on Friday, September 23 at 4:15 pm SHARP in the Andrews Academy back parking lot. All participants should be present at this time. The parade marshal will direct you to your spot in the parade line. Please remain in your designated area until the parade begins to leave Andrews Academy promptly at 4:50 pm.
PARADE ROUTE: The parade route begins at the Andrews Academy parking lot, enters campus on E Campus Circle Drive, passes the judge’s stand in front of the HPAC, passes PMC, turns right at the stop sign, and ends in the PMC parking lot.
PARTICIPANT REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Signed and completed entry forms must be submitted to the Andrews University Alumni Office by September 16. Late entrants may not be included in the parade.
- Signed and completed entry forms must be submitted to the Andrews University Alumni Office by September 16. Late entrants may not be included in the parade.
- The Alumni Office reserves the right to cancel the parade should inclement weather arise. In the event of cancellation, an entry’s contact person will be notified via phone.
- All materials on a unit must be properly secured. Proper support must be provided for all individuals on the float, vehicle or special unit.
- For safety reasons, the parade marshal may limit the number of participants who ride on a float or special unit.
- For safety precautions, children under the age of 7 are not allowed to throw candy; they must hand it out individually.
- Animals in the parade must be secured at all times and are the sole responsibility of the entrant.
- All animal entries must dispose of waste immediately.
- Entries are limited to a 4-minute show before the judge’s stand, if desired. The four-minute limit includes set-up, performance, and tear down. Going over this time limit may result in point deduction.
- Entries are judged on a scale of 1-5 for four different categories:1.) personalization, 2.) originality/creativity, 3.) workmanship and neatness of entry, and 4.) spirit & public appeal. Bonus points may be given for special elements such as smoke, lighting effects, music/sound, moving parts, gimmicks, animals, incorporating the harvest theme, and Andrews school spirit. See last page for criteria details.
- The entry with the highest number of points will receive the President’s prize ($200), followed by 2nd place ($150), and 3rd place ($100). In the event of a tie, the judges will do an additional vote. Entries may only win one prize.
- The People’s Choice Award ($100) will be given to the entry with the most audience votes texted in during the parade.
- At least one representative from each entry must be present for the awards ceremony directly following the parade. Winners will be announced at the Judge’s stand.
- Andrews University is not liable for any injuries incurred before, during, or after the parade.
Entries are judged on a scale of 1-5 for four different categories: personalization, originality/creativity, workmanship/neatness of entry, and spirit/public appeal. Bonus points may be given for special elements such as smoke, lighting effects, music/sound, moving parts, gimmicks, animals, incorporating the harvest theme, and exhibiting Andrews school spirit.
Category Descriptions:
1. Personalization (1-5)
- Does your club or organization’s purpose, personality and message come through? Can we tell who you are and what you are about through your parade entry?
2. Originality/Creativity (1-5)
- Is the parade entry creative and unique? Does your float/performance stand out from all the other entries? Are there any special effects, animation or presentation that stands out as being creative?
- Consider costumes and casting, props, use of color, and uniqueness of idea.
3. Workmanship and Neatness of Entry (1-5)
- Is the overall appearance of the float/parade entry one of neatness and quality? Does it look good? Does it look like care has been taken, or does it look thrown together?For Floats—Craftsmanship:
- Neatness/attention to detail
- Solid construction/proper working parts
- Difficulty/Overall effort
For Marching Units—Uniformity:
- How well does the unit move together?
- Are the costumes consistent?
- Do the members work as a unit?
- Were they “in step?”
4. Spirit and Public Appeal (1-5)
- Does the entrant display spirit? Do you bring energy and enthusiasm to the parade? Do you appeal to the public audience, and does the audience relate to and enjoy the float? Is there audience interaction?
Entries will be judged out of a total score of 20.