Parade Route to the Campus  

14th & Jefferson Street to 33rd & John Merritt Blvd 

Saturday, October 14, 2023 9:00 A.M. 

Homecoming Parade Participation

Thank you for your interest in participating in the Homecoming parade.  To make your parade experience a seamless activity, please review the instructions below:

The following rules and guidelines are to be met by all entrants in the 2023 Homecoming Parade scheduled for: Saturday, October 14, 2023. Any violation of these guidelines will result in forfeiture of participation in the parade . Entry fees will NOT be refunded for any reason, including inclement weather. Please retain these instructions and bring them to your assigned mandatory parade meeting on Monday, September 18, 2022 in the New Residence Hall (training room).

 How to Enter the Parade?

Step 1 : Completely fill out the TSU PARADE APPLICATION  <<<<<<<<-------------- Click . Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Only one applications (1) car or one (1) float per organization will be allowed to participate in the parade.

Step 2:  On a separate sheet of paper (8 1/2 by 11) draw your entry design. All entries MUST be theme related. 2023 Theme Tennessee State University “Through  Resiliency  and  Perseverance:  We Are One”

Step 3: Please allow up to 14 business days after submission for the Homecoming Committee’s approval on entry design. Note: All applicants must submit an entry design to be considered for the Tennessee State University 2023 Homecoming Parade.

Step 4: Payment can be made after approval but no later than September 18, 2023.  They can be made via check, money order, or cash directly to the Tennessee State University Tennessee State University Foundation office located in GOodwill Manor or online (link provided upon final approval). Make certain to keep all receipts on file.

General Parade Guidelines  

1. Traditional Float Entries: All participants must provide their own pulling mechanism and transportation (if applicable). The pulling mechanism must consist of a maximum of one motorized vehicle. A maximum of 10 people may be present on or around the float entry.

2. Walking and Non-Motorized Entries: May consist of a maximum of 20 people on foot, person-powered, or vehicles (example: bicycles, big wheels, NO animals).

3. All Car and Float entries must be 75% decorated and must include the Homecoming theme. Failure to adhere to these rules or any other rules listed on the day of the event, will result in elimination from the parade without a refund. Additionally, you will forfeit one year of parade participation under any business or entity name.

4. NO alcoholic beverages or illegal substances will be allowed on or near the entries prior to or during the parade. If alcoholic beverages and/or illegal substances or their containers are found, or the person operating any type of vehicle (example: motorized, bicycles, etc.) is suspected of having consumed alcohol, the entry will be pulled from the parade. Police assistance will be used if necessary.

5. Entries may not display advertisement for alcohol or tobacco (examples: banners, logos, etc.) on their float.

6. All entries including children ages 12 and under will be required to have a ratio of one adult to every ten children.

7. Proceed to your assigned location in the parade staging area no later than 8:30 a.m. so that line-up can be positioned properly. The parade will begin at exactly 9:00 a.m. and the flow of entries will proceed according to the parade route and staging area maps.

8. DO NOT bring non-permitted vehicles into the staging area. Additional vehicles will delay the start of the parade and will be towed at the owner’s expense.

9. At the end of the parade route, please be considerate of those following you and clear the area quickly. Explicitly follow the direction of parade personnel.

10. All floats competing in the float competition will be judged by a panel of judges consisting of students, faculty, staff and community leaders. One float will be awarded “Best of Show” for fulfilling the requirements of TSU Spirit.

11. This year the committee has implemented a process which allows the performing entry to showcase their talents. There will be Parade Assistants along the parade route that will signal you to perform. You will have a maximum of 90 seconds to perform. After your 90 seconds The Parade Assistant will inform you that your time is up. The parade will move at a constant flow and will only stop if the preceding entry stops. If any entry cannot proceed at any point during the parade, (i.e. mechanical breakdown, etc.) please exit the parade route at the nearest possible exit or move to the side of the parade route and immediately inform the next entry to continue around you.

12. Parade entries check-in will take place at: 14th Avenue North and Jefferson Street in the Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center parking lot 7:00am – 8:30am SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2023.

13. All entries MUST check-in NO LATER THAN 30-minutes PRIOR to the start of the TSU Homecoming Parade. Failure to do so may result in denying entry into the parade event.

14. The Homecoming Committee reserves the right to deny entry into the TSU Homecoming Parade to any parade entry that may pose a health/safety risk and/or deemed in offensive to the participants and the spectators of the Homecoming Parade.

15. Any behavior problems or disorderly conduct by parade participants along the parade route will result in elimination of parade entry.

Failure to adhere to these rules, or any other rules listed on the day of the event, will result in elimination from the parade without a refund. Additionally, you will forfeit one year of parade participation under any business or entity name.

 

<<<<<<<<<<PARADE APPLICATION>>>>>>>>>>>>

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Send all questions and concerns to parade.tnstate@gmail.com.