Christmas Parade Floats

[April-D]

Has anyone ever prepared a Christmas parade float? What worked? What didn't? Any ideas, suggests, comments?

[ManyHats]

We threw one together last year. We didn't have much time, so we borrowed a flat trailer, threw a small tent up, put a tree in the front corner and covered it with red, white and blue and cub scout paper ornaments. We put streamers on it but they didn't look so good after we started moving. If we had taped them more they probably would have stayed longer. The wire red and green garland worked pretty good.

[ManyHats]

I forgot the fake fire in the middle and the Scout Christmas sign on the front of the truck. Here's some pictures.

http://pack387.clubspaces.com/PhotoGalleryView_css.aspx?o=13319

[Gonzo1]

Read, then re-read the G2SS with respect to floats and riding o them.

 

Have fun, and uh, Merry Christmas.

[Pack212Scouter]

Gonzo1, not sure what your refering to here. GSS permits the use of truck beds and trailers for parade floats and hayrides as long as certain safety precautions are kept.

 

Transportation to and from the parade or hayride site cannot be on the truck or trailer.

 

Those persons riding, whether seated or standing, must be able to hold on to something stationary.

 

Legs should not hang over the side.

 

Flashing lights must illuminate a vehicle used for a hayride after dark, or the vehicle must be followed by a vehicle with flashing lights.

 

[packsaddle]

I would like to add to Gonzo1's caution. Be very careful. I witnessed a child run over by an incredibly heavy parade trailer and it is an image that I hope no one else will ever again witness. Unfortunately I was also standing with my daughter and the last thing I ever wanted her to witness was the death of another child. We were too far away to do anything but witness it. The incident was caused by insufficient safety combined with typical behavior by a child. The little girl accidentally slipped under the wheel of the float just as it started moving forward. The driver had no idea there was a problem so he just kept inching forward. The wheel slowly crept up her legs, crossed her pelvic area and then over her chest and was about to crush her skull before the screams from the crowd stopped him. Then he had to back across the same territory to get off her. It was terrible. The mother was standing right there, apoplectic. I just held my daughter's head in my chest and tried to blink back tears. Nearly everyone was in tears. Just be very, very careful. Take nothing for granted.

[Sephrina]

In the past, my girl scout troop has decorated a flatbed trailer as a sleigh. We use plywood for the sleigh and repaint it to fit with the theme of each years parade. Two years ago, the theme was a miracle on main street and we named our float how the grinch saved meridian. We had a inflatable grinch in the back of the pick-up pulling the trailer and the girls dressed as residents of whoville or as gifts. I don't remember exactly how we decorated the float, but it was good enough for first place in our category. Last year's was a gingerbread theme of some sort, so we decorated the float with paper gingerbread men, peppermint candies, painted ornaments, with a wooden Christmas tree with packages at the back. The first year was better, but the girls did a nice job both years.

[RememberSchiff]

 

I would have scouts walk and pull a wagon - safer, environmental friendly, and cheap.

 

If you are set on a vehicular float, start with the GSS as others suggested BUT stay away from flatbed trailers with outrigger wheels. You also want a railing to keep scouts from falling off.

 

These links are about the death of a Cub Scout on a Christmas float in 2006.

http://archive.seacoastonline.com/news/12042006/nhnews-ph-por-scout.death.html

 

http://mail.nhliberty.org/pipermail/bill_reviewers_nhliberty.org/Week-of-Mon-20070129/000017.html

 

 

[Pack212Scouter]

A very sad incident, but we need to be a little realistic here. Follow GSS, and excercise safety common sense. Floats such as what ManyHats showed are safe. All kids were seated, with no legs of arms over the side. Additionally there was a rail in front of them and adults both on the float and the ground.

 

We want to keep the safety of these boys foremost, but we also need to keep in mind that NOTHING is perfectly safe. Next will be hiking and camping bans because Scouts fall or overheat. Should we expose them to intentionally unsafe environments, no. But we also should not be keeping our children in a plastic bubble. Excercise proper safety precautions, and look for any known risks to avoid.

 

Someone will post I am sure that a parade is not worth the risk. Maybe...maybe not. That is something a parent should decide. Is going to a Scout meeting or outing worth the risk of a traffic fatality? You know that happens also.

[Sephrina]

If you decide on walking, you will need to be sure of how fast the parade travels. Our local holiday parade tends to move too quickly for our youngest girls to walk.

 

Karen

[Gonzo1]

Packsaddle, Thanks for the amplification.

 

Pack212,

That was my only concern, build the float, have fun, but be very very careful.

[BeaverIII]

All very interesting observations. I live in New Orleans where we have a little bit of experience with parades. When I was a Den Leader my boys participated every year in a Mardi Gras parade through a neighborhood. Some groups walked, some rode. The parade organizers had specific and irrevocable rules for towed floats, i.e., size, safety considerations, transport and so on. I, along with the other parents, was able to construct a float on a 4x6 utility trailer with outboard wheels that was extremely safe for the boys and parade watchers. In addition parade rules required each float have adult walkers (adult defined as over 18 years) posted by the front wheels of the tow vehicle, midway where the tow vehicle and trailer connect and at the back of the trailer. The mid point walkers and the back walkers carried a rope attached to the back of the tow vehicle which was held a minimum of 3 feet from the sides of the float and went past the end of the float. We rode in this event for 4 years and when my Cubs went into a troop I stayed with the parade committee for 5 more years as the safety officer. We never had a mishap and the kids always had a great time. It can be done safely with some forethought and attention to detail.

[gcan]

We do floats 2x a year- for the town fair day and for Christmas. Our rules- if you stand up, we stop and you get off. If you stick any appendages out thru the side rails, same deal. kneeling is ok, waving is good, singing is even better. (imo, keep 'em singing, it's harder for them to misbehave!)

 

we've done lots of different themes- "fishing for scouts" was a favorite, but for Christmas the running 'theme' seems to be the more lights and tinsil and flashy-ness the better. Little boys love shiny, obnoxiosly colored things, lol.

We put the generator in the p/u truck that tows us- they get way to hot and noisy to leave anywhere near the kids.

Duct tape and a staple gun will hang anything you need.

 

and have fun!