Purpose

The City’s purpose in adopting these Parade Safety Rules, Agreement, & Certification (the “Rules”) is to create a safe event for all applicants, participants and spectators who participate in the parade. The Applicant is required to ensure that all its participants, including, but not limited to, all drivers, walkers, and performers (each a “Participant” and collectively, “Participants”) have reviewed and agreed to comply with these Rules prior to being allowed to participate in the parade. The Applicant, by submitting this application, agrees that it is responsible for the behavior of all its Participants.

Rules

Changes

            The City of Harvey must approve any additions or changes made to Parade units after being accepted. Parade units with changes that have not been approved will not be allowed to march.

Vehicles Allowed

            No more than three motorized vehicles are allowed in any one Parade unit.

Vehicle Licensing and Registration

Vehicles and trailers shall be properly licensed and registered with the state of Illinois and must have proper paperwork demonstrating this with the vehicle at all times. All Vehicles must have completed and filed with the City of Harvey a City of Harvey Vehicle Information form. 

Vehicle Maintenance

Brakes, wheels, tires, exhaust pipes, lights, horns or other sounding devices, and all other mechanical and electrical components of all vehicles, trailers and specialty vehicles, including, but not limited to, scooters, ATV’s and segways, shall be in good condition and in complete legal working order. Brakes shall be in a condition sufficient to stop any vehicle in a quick manner, and with a loaded trailer as applicable. No extra gasoline may be carried on any vehicle or trailer at any time during the parade. Vehicles shall be capable of maintaining a minimum constant speed of ten (10) miles per hour.

Vehicle Servicing

All vehicles to be used in the parade, including those pulling trailers and self-propelled vehicles, shall be serviced for gas, oil, water, tire inflation and battery charging prior to reporting to the staging areas for the parade.

Towing

All trailer hitches and connections to a vehicle shall be in good condition and in complete legal working order on the date of the parade and shall comply with all applicable laws and standards. Primary and secondary connections shall be appropriate for the normal and anticipated loads.

Vehicle Insurance

Vehicles licensed for highway use shall have proof of insurance in terms and coverage satisfactory to the City, and such proof shall be kept in the vehicle at all times on the date of the parade and presented to the City upon its request.

Vehicle Decorations & Driver Vision

Decorations shall not cover the exhaust pipe or be placed in a position where they may interfere with the exhaust system. Exhaust pipes shall clearly extend beyond all decorative materials on the vehicle and trailer. All decorations shall be made of fire-retardant materials. Decorations shall be designed to allow the driver one hundred eighty (180) degrees clear vision to the front and sides of the trailer and vehicle. If one hundred eighty (180) degrees vision cannot be provided to the driver for any reason, one or more spotters with clear vision of all obstructed areas shall be in or on the vehicle or trailer at all times during the parade and shall act as a guide for the driver. All vehicles, with or without an attached trailer, must be able to make a ninety (90) degree corner within two (2) traffic lanes.

Communication with Driver

One or more spotters shall be located on every trailer at all times during the parade, in order to immediately communicate with the driver of the tow vehicle about any problem or concern on or about the trailer that needs to be addressed.

Drivers

Drivers shall minimize abrupt starts and stops. Drivers shall maintain an adequate distance of at least five (5) seconds between other parade vehicles, and shall give special attention to maintaining a safe distance from all walkers and performers. Drivers shall have a valid driver’s license, which shall be kept with the person or in the vehicle at all times during the parade, and drivers shall be in competent condition to safely operate the vehicle on the date of the parade. No hot rodding, hole shots, wheelies, or similar actions shall be allowed during the parade. Drivers shall not deviate from the City-designated parade route at any time or for any reason, unless expressly directed to do so by the City.

Participants

Participants must stay in their assigned staging location unless otherwise instructed by a Parade official. Failure to do so will result in removing the Participant’s unit from the parade. Participants including performers shall keep up with the pace of the parade and the vehicles in the parade. Participants including performers shall not act or perform in any manner that causes a temporary or permanent stopping or slowing of any vehicles in the parade. All units must maintain forward motion during the parade. No countermarching or other maneuver contrary to the forward progress of the parade is allowed. Gaps are not allowed.

Animals

Horses, dogs, cows, reptiles, and any other wild or domestic animals shall not be brought to or included in the parade, or in or on any vehicle or trailer in the parade, without the prior written approval of the City.

Riders

Children under thirteen (13) years of age shall be under constant adult supervision during the parade and shall remain seated at all times when the vehicle is running, regardless of whether the vehicle is in motion or has temporarily stopped. Standing participants on any vehicle or trailer shall have a device to hold, such as safety rails, barriers, or ropes, which are sufficient to prevent falling on or from the vehicle or trailer. No passenger shall cling to or ride on the outside of any vehicle at any time, regardless of whether or not the vehicle is in motion. Riders shall either remain properly inside the vehicle or on the trailer once the parade begins and at all times during the parade when the vehicle is running, regardless of whether the vehicle is in motion or has temporarily stopped.

Helmets

Anyone riding a bike, or other similar vehicle in the parade shall wear proper helmets at all times during the parade.

Generators

Generators shall be in good condition and in complete legal working order. No bare wires or exposed electric connections are permitted. All electrical systems used during the parade shall be in good condition and in complete legal working order. No bare wires or exposed electric connections are permitted.

Alcohol and Drugs

Alcoholic beverages and controlled substances are not allowed on and along the Parade route, including the staging and disbanding areas. There shall be no consumption of alcohol or smoking on any vehicle or trailer. No person operating a vehicle, trailer or other motorized vehicle in the parade shall be under the influence of alcoholic beverages or unlawful drugs of any type. Participants consuming such substances or found to be under the influence will not be allowed to participate and will be removed from the line of march.

Give Aways and Distribution

Throwing hard items to the crowd during the parade is strictly prohibited. Prohibited items include but are not limited to candy, beads and/or fliers. Entrants may have members of their organizations walk beside their unit and hand out giveaway items. Written materials must be limited to public service announcements. No campaign material is allowed. Throwing items may result in disqualification and/or removal from the parade lineup. Approval may be given for soft items (e.g., t-shirts), but approval must be requested in advance.

Firearms

No person shall discharge firearms, noise makers, fireworks, or similar items at any time during the parade.

Safety Spot Checks

The Applicant and each Participant understand and hereby agree that the Applicant and its Participants are jointly and exclusively responsible for the safety and compliance of every vehicle and trailer driven, used and/or included in the parade, including the need to perform safety checks of such vehicles and trailers prior to and throughout the parade.

Non-Compliance

The City, including any employee or designated parade volunteer, which includes but is not limited to the Mayor’s Office, Street Department, Police Department or Fire Department and any other designee or authority having jurisdiction over the parade, reserves the right in its sole discretion and at any time to issue a warning to the Applicant or its Participants, to order immediate correction of any non-compliance at any time before or during the parade, or to permanently and immediately remove from the parade any person, vehicle or trailer that fails to comply in any manner and at any time with these Rules. Failure to heed any warning, comply with these Rules, or correct any failure as ordered shall result in the City’s immediate and permanent removal of such person, vehicle, and/or trailer from the parade, and may bar participation in any future parades or special events. The City shall have the right, in addition to any other available rights or remedies, to proceed at any time or from time to time to protect and enforce all rights and remedies available to the City, by suit or any other appropriate proceedings, whether for specific performance of any covenant, term or condition set forth in these Rules, or for damages or other relief, or proceed to take any action authorized or permitted under applicable law or regulations.

Other Safety Matters

The City reserves the right in its sole discretion, at any time and by any member of the City of Harvey, to review and require the applicant and all its participants to comply with these rules and/or correct any such additional matters that may arise that are deemed to be safety concerns in the sole discretion of the City and its designated agents.