Parade Rules and Regulations

** Note that Majorette Groups will be in the parade, and will be judged, but will not be in the competition this year. **

Mummer’s parade accepts the following types of submission into the parade:

Organized bodies – those walking in the parade (bands, majorettes, color guard, drill teams, cheer, dance, scouts, 4-H, or schools in special dress)
Floats
Vehicles (cars, military units, buses, Nursing Homes vans, units with sound equipment, convertibles)
Fire trucks and EMS
Commercial unit - entries used for advertisement of a business or group for profit
Mummer – person in costume

General Rules for all entries

All 2023 parade entries are due to be submitted by DATE AND TIME.
The Alsatia Mummers’ Parade committee reserves the right to reject any entry.
All entries MUST sign and return the Hold Harmless Agreement with the City of Hagerstown and the Alsatia Club before an entry will be accepted.
All members of your group must follow instructions from parade officials at all times.
NO DISTRIBUTION OF CANDY, LITERATURE OF ANY TYPE AND ETC BY ANY ENTRY WILL BE ALLOWED. ANY VIOLATIONS WILL RESULT IN REMOVAL FROM PARADE.
No entries can contain political, controversial, obscene, or anti-religious messaging in any form.
No pick-up trucks will be allowed unless pulling a float. NO PASSENGERS ARE ALLOWED IN THE BED OF THE PICK-UP TRUCKS.
All live animals are subject to approval by the Alsatia Parade Formation Committee. Liability insurance will be required.
No sounding of fire arms, open fires, or sirens/horns by any type of vehicle will be permitted.
The parade committee may invite incumbent elected officials and other dignitaries as guest to participate in the Mummers’ parade.
The Alsatia Club Mummers’ Queens must be from Washington County Competitions. State and National winners will be considered on an individual basis.
No antique vehicle later than 1985 will be allowed to entry in the antique vehicle division.
No person or device can be used to propel, accelerate, lift, or toss one or more performers. No stacking of persons (no pyramids). This rule intended for ALL entries.
All units must maintain forward motion throughout the duration of the parade.
Units will begin their performance at the “sound off” signs along the parade route.
Should the forward movement of the parade be stopped due to circumstances beyond our control, a unit may drill while stopped but must stop drilling and move forward when parade begins to move forward again and/or at the command of the Alsatia Marshall in charge.
Marshalls are instructed to inform judges of any and all violations.
Points may be deducted for any and all violations of any rules. Judges may be stationed all along the parade route as well as in the Judge’s reviewing area at Bester School.

Organized Bodies Rules

Entries defined as any group marching/walking in the parade (i.e., Bands, majorettes, color guard, drill teams, cheer, dance, scouts, 4-H, or schools in special dress)
An Organized Bosy may register in multiple judging categories.
Cheer groups are permitted to use pom-poms/other cheer equipment, or they may choose to use hands.
Dance groups must use music either by broadcast vehicle of by use of instruments and may include the use of canes, hats or other items but typically not poms or batons.
When applying, make correct selections of judging categories.

On parade day:

Organized bodies will report to Oak Hill Avenue.
Rest Rooms are available along Oak Hill Avenue.
Busses will be allowed on Oak Hill Avenue off Northern Avenue to unload groups. This is the only place buses will be allowed to unload.
Check-in trailer will be located at the corner of Oak Hill Avenue and Cypress Street.
Buses will exit at the direction of a parade official. The bus will then go to South Hagerstown High School.
Equipment vehicles will not be allowed in the parade, they will exit at the direction of a parade official and proceed to South Hagerstown High School.
All marching units will proceed to South Hagerstown High School to disband and meet transportation.

Float Rules

A $25.00 non-refundable entry fee is due with applications (School K – 12 exempt).
Entire float must be decorated except for the towing vehicle, self-propelled floats must be completely decorated.
Floats will be skirted on both sides and back from the deck to the road.
Float entries are subjected to Formation Committee approval.
The height of the float shall not exceed 11 feet 6 inches. Drivers should be aware of any low hanging wires.
No sounding of sirens, horns, firing of fire arms or open fires are permitted.
NO PASSENGERS ARE ALLOWED IN THE BED OF THE PICK-UP TRUCKS.

On parade day

Check in starts at 3pm – all floats must be checked in no later than 4:30pm at the corner of Magnolia and Potomac Avenue.
Street assignment will be given at that time along with the float number.
Floats will be staged on Potomac Avenue.
Floats will leave the parade route at Startzman’s Hardware on South Potomac at the direction of a Parade Marshall. You will travel East Howard Street to Rose Hill Avenue to disband.
All units are responsible to clean up any debris when disbanding.
Please do not go to South Hagerstown High School or South End Shopping Center.

Vehicles Rules

Entries include cars, military units, buses, Nursing Homes vans, units with sound equipment, convertibles, etc.
No sounding of horns, sirens or fire arms.

On parade day:

Check in starts at 3pm – all floats must be checked in no later than 4:30pm at the corner of Magnolia and Potomac Avenue.
Street assignment will be given at that time along with a number.
Vehicles will be staged on Potomac Avenue.
Vehicles will leave the parade route at Startzman’s Hardware on South Potomac at the direction of a Parade Marshall. You will travel East Howard Street to Rose Hill Avenue to disband.

Fire Trucks and EMS Units Rules

Fire Companies and EMS Units are limited to one (1) unit per organization.
No sounding of sirens, horns or firing of firearms.

On parade day:

All fire and EMS units will report to Hamilton Blvd from Northern Avenue.
All motorized units will leave the parade route at Startzman’s Hardware via Howard Street East to Rose Hill Avenue.

Commercial Unit Rules

Entries used for advertisement of a business or group for profit.
A $200.00 entry fee is due with applications

Mummers' Rules

Entries of a person in costume participating in the parade – participants must be in costume, and the costume must not be offensive to a general audience (subject to denied entry into the parade).
Mummers may not enter with a motorized vehicle.

On parade day:

Sign up on the evening of the parade after 4:30 pm.
Sign up will be at the Oak Hill Avenue side of the area formerly known as “Bill’s Other Yard Sale”.
Please space your entry, so you are not near another entry.
Judges need to see your Mummer number to consider your costume for judging