Homecoming Parade

General Guidelines

1. The 2019 Homecoming Parade will be held on Saturday, 05 October 2019, Downtown Huntsville, Alabama. Line-up Area is Lot K located on corner of Clinton Ave & Woodson Street. All Parade Applicants must register online at AAMU. Homepage/Homecoming Parade. Parade Sub-Committee must receive all entry applications by close of business (5:00 pm) on Monday, 23 September 2019. All applications must be emailed to homecoming.parade@aamu.edu NLT Monday, 23 September 2019.
2. All off-campus organizations that would like to participate in the parade must register and sign the statement of Liability to participate in the parade. Organizations can enter a CAR, Trucks & SUVs, Float, Marching Unit, Dance Team or Marching Band. No Motorcycles or Horses will be allowed.
3. The parade held during the homecoming celebration of Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University is designed to highlight the uniqueness of the institution. Entries must be for the express purpose of enhancing and promoting the university, and must, therefore, comply with the established guidelines.
4. ALL parade participants must read all information carefully, complete the parade application (On Campus Parade Application and Off Campus Parade Application), sign the Release from Liability Statement and forward application as requested. Ensure all required information is provided, this will ensure that your application is processed as quickly as possible.
5. All parade entries must have a professional sign or banner that identifies their organization, that incorporates the Homecoming Theme or a sign or banner that supports Alabama A&M University. Off-campus organizations and businesses that would like to participate must display signs & banners that reflect their support for Alabama A&M University and must be decorated ...incorporating the Homecoming Theme.
6. All parade participants are responsible for the safety, operations, and conduct of their entry. The parade committee is not responsible for providing vehicles, performing maintenance or for providing decorations.
7. All vehicles used to pull Floats must be decorated with a sign or Banner. All vehicles must be CLEAN and in good running condition. Vehicles must have at a minimum, a magnetic sign to identify the organization and should have additional decorations to show school spirit and to incorporate the Homecoming Theme.

PARADE LINE-UP & ROUTE

 

Huntsville Police Department changed our downtown parade route. Instead of going down Washington Street, we will travel down Jefferson Street.

VIEW Updated DOWNTOWN PARADE ROUTE MAP

FLOAT GUIDELINES

1. Safety is the number one concern. ALL Floats must be properly towed and properly hitched.
2. All Floats must incorporate Alabama A&M University Homecoming theme into their design.
3. All Floats must be skirted and completely decorated in sheeting or its equivalent.

CARS

All cars must be decorated with a professional sign identifying their organization and or the Homecoming Theme.

All signs must be professionally made. Hand written cardboard signs will not be allowed.

No person or persons will be permitted to ride on top of their car or on the hood. No drivers will be allowed to drive with feet extended out of the window or with their feet on the dashboard. Drivers will not be allowed to exit their vehicle once parade starts, especially while the vehicle is moving. Participants may sit on the back of a convertible or on top of a vehicle with a sun-roof, so long as their legs are on the inside of the vehicle. Any unsafe act(s) observed by Huntsville City Police may be cause for removal from the parade site.

Bands, Dance Teams and Marching Groups

• High School Band Buses will be directed to Bus Band Parking Area at Lot K.
• Band members will be directed to the designated line-up area and directed into the flow of the parade
• All Dance Teams will line-up in the main line-up area as they arrive. Make sure all members & vehicles arrive together as a unit
• Dance Teams & Marching units are allowed to have a Decorated Vehicle as part of their entry. There are no performance area along the parade route. Do not stop the parade for a performance and do not create a Gap between entries. Dance Teams that stop the Parade and create a Gap in the Parade will be ask to move along and may not be invited again.

Parade Restrictions and Safety Guidelines

1. No Motorcycles Entries. Due to local and state safety restrictions, no motorcycles or Motor Cycle group applications will be accepted for this parade.
2. No CANDY or any other items may be thrown from a moving vehicle, float, nor thrown from a Marching Unit. Marching Units can hand out candy along the parade route. To ensure that children are not running into the parade route, in front of moving vehicles and horses, this rule will be strictly enforced by the Huntsville City Police Department.
3. No person or persons will be permitted to ride on top of their car or on the hood. No drivers will be allowed to drive with feet extended out of the window or with their feet on the dashboard. Drivers will not be allowed to exit their vehicle once parade starts, especially while the vehicle is moving. Participants may sit on the back of a convertible or on top of a vehicle with a sun-roof as long as their legs are on the inside of the vehicle. Any unsafe act(s) observed by Huntsville City Police may be cause for removal from the parade site.
4. No Political Campaigning. AAMU Homecoming Parade is not a platform for addressing public, political or private issues. No political campaigning will be allowed, no distribution of political material, no entries for political reasons will be allowed. All politicians must obtain university officials approval before entrance is granted for the parade. Political leaders/Political organizations that are approved for entry into the parade must address Alabama A&M University themes, and/or acknowledge the celebration of the university’s achievements or unique heritage.
5. No alcoholic beverages may be consumed or displayed before or during the parade.
6. No Stopping the Parade for personal performances. In accordance with Huntsville City Parade Ordinance, Section 18-101, Title: Special Events, all units including marching bands, dance troupes, and so forth must maintain a forward movement. Units may not stop to perform anywhere along the route, there is no performance area or stage for this parade. This ordinance is repeated throughout the guidelines to ensure compliance.
7. Any violations of the stated guidelines could result in the removal from parade, arrest by Huntsville Police Department and the exclusion from future participation in AAMU Homecoming Parades.
8. No horses! Applications will NOT be accepted for entries with horses!
9. No unapproved vending is allowed.
10. No entry will be allowed without decorations and signs, and vehicles must be washed and clean.

Homecoming Football Game Kickoff is at Louis Crews Stadium