St Patrick’s Parade Edition

Staging and General Information:

Organization Name:
Colorado Parrot Head Club – 2018  Best of Parade Award
Unit number: 1-26
Staging time and location: First Group 8:30am, Lot A

Note:
Lots “A” and “B” at Coors Field will be used for staging only.  No vehicles will be allowed in either lot unless they are to be in the parade; you cannot drive into lot “A” or lot “B” to drop off participants.  If you are walking or marching in the parade, you must park elsewhere and walk into the staging area.  The parking garage at 27^th & Blake will be open from 7:00 AM until 9:00 AM. 

Where to go on Parade Day?
Our staging area is in the Coors Field Parking lot A.  If you are marching with us, please be at the float by 8:30am on Saturday morning. You can enter the staging area at 33rd and Blake.  There is NO PARKING in the staging area.  We are in the first group.  

If you are a current, paid, member and don’t already have your wrist bands, we will be handing them out before the parade.  Please get them from Susan or Karen as soon as you get there.

Where do I park on Parade Day?
Finding parking can be challenging, so we encourage you to carpool, take Uber or Lyft, or take the light rail if you can.  There is parking in the Coors Field Parking Garage, on a first-come, first-serve basis. Enter this parking garage at 27th and Blake.  The garage will only be open from 7am to 9am.  It will be VERY busy on parade day.. so we recommend you arrive early.

How should I dress for the parade?
Our Parade theme is “Irish is Everyone.”  Dress in your best Irish, Inclusive, Parrothead Attire!   There are no specific costume requirements, however we do want everyone marching with us to be VERY festive. Show us your creativity by dressing up to reflect “Irish is Everyone.” So, please dress up in a creative Irish-Parrothead-Inclusive outfit! This can be your favorite St Patrick’s outfits,  your best Parrot Head gear… or combine them both!  Whatever you do.. please don’t put on a green t-shirt and think you’re done. We want everyone to see how fun and festive the Colorado Parrot Heads can be!!  

Bring leis and candy to hand out! 
Please bring plenty of leis and candy to hand out to the crowd along the parade route!

Bring cash for tips! 
This year we have a live band on the float, who are playing for a nominal fee, so we are hoping to get a lot of tips for them.  Also, bring some cash to tip our driver.  He isn’t getting paid by Duffy’s to work on a Saturday morning, so let’s take care of our driver as well!

Once again, the voting for the best float will be electronic.
Ask your friends and family to vote for our float, for the 2023 Denver St. Patrick’s Day Parade Favorite Float winner! Judging is by the public.  Post the link and a picture of our float to your social media platforms (FaceBook, Instagram, etc.) to help us get more votes! Go to the website shown below, for a link to the voting system.  Encourage people along the route and your family and friends to visit the site and vote for their favorites.

https://www.denverstpatricksdayparade.com/

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Participant Rules: 

You may read all the rules here: http://https://www.denverstpatricksdayparade.com/parade-rules
Please review and familiarize yourself with all the rules before parade day.  Based on prior years, the items that most need repeating are:

1) DO NOT throw ANYTHING!  You may HAND candy and leis to spectators but no THROWING is allowed. Doing this will get us disqualified.  We had some people in our group in past parades, throwing/tossing beads into the crowd, PLEASE do NOT do that again this year. I’m not sure if anyone noticed.. but the float behind ours a couple of years ago, was pulled out of the lineup because they were throwing candy into the crowd.  

2) DO NOT over-indulge on alcoholic beverages before the parade, and no visible alcohol along the parade route. This is a family event, so save the hard partying for after the parade.  (and remember.. there are no bathrooms along the way!).  No public indecency tolerated. No smoking. Remember, this is a family friendly event.  Sadly, I have to remind everyone of this rule, because we had some folks pouring themselves a Vodka cocktail along the parade route couple of years ago.  Please, wait until the end.. it’s not that long of a parade!

3) While marching, please move quickly and stay with our group. Do not hold up the participants behind us.  You may NOT hop off or onto the float as it is moving.  If you are riding, stay on the float. If you are walking, please stay off the float for the entire parade.

Who can Participate?
Any active CPHC members who have wristbands can march with us.  We will also be giving out a hand stamp on the day of the parade for those who are drinking… after we check IDs.  Anyone with a wrist band and a hand stamp can participate in our pre and post parade adult beverages.

What about guests?  
We are not selling extra wristbands for guests, so you only get what you are allotted based on your membership.  If you want to bring a guest on one of your allotted wristbands, remember 2 VERY important conditions:
1) You are totally responsible for them and their behavior.  Keep them in line before, during and after the parade.  If they fall out of line, that will reflect on you.
2) Guests still need to dress up for the event same as members if they will be marching with our club.  Help them get properly “decorated” and decked out for the occasion.

What if I haven’t joined/renewed/gotten a wristband?
If you still need to join or renew, do so now.  You will need to be a paid member no later than midnight on Thursday, March 9, 2023, if you want to participate in the parade with us.   If you haven’t gotten your wristband, we will have them available at the staging area on the morning of the parade.  Pease find Susan Eckman or Karen Bell when you arrive at the staging area.  Please pick up your wrist bands as soon as you get there, we won’t be handing them out past 9am.  

What does the wristband get me?
It allows you to march in the parade with our group. It also means you can enjoy some of our pre and post parade adult beverages… assuming you are 21 or older.  We will check IDs and give you a hand stamp.  The wristband and hand stamp will tell our volunteer servers that you may have drinks. We will have water available as well.

What essentials should I bring on parade day?
Yourself, your wristband, your ID and cash, for tips.  That is all you really need to bring.  Please only bring what you NEED, because we will not have space on the float to carry everyone’s extra stuff.  If it gets warm, we will not haul your coats, jackets, hats, gloves, etc on the float. We cannot haul your extra candy, extra leis, etc. on the float either.  Please plan on bringing a backpack, bag or wagon to carry your own items in. It doesn’t look very good when we’ve had people leave their coats on the float in the past because they don’t want to carry them.  

Handouts for the crowd?
Please bring leis and candy to hand out.  If everyone brings leis and candy, there should be enough for the full route.  As always, we appreciate volunteers who wish to bring leis or wrapped candy to hand out.  Bring your own bag, backpack, wagon or bucket to carry your handouts.  Remember – YOU CANNOT THROW ANYTHING!!  All items must be handed to the spectators.  Failure to follow this rule will cause us to be disqualified and we will be forced to leave the parade.

Will we have beer/drinks/jello shots on parade day?
Of course we will!  We will have beer, rum punch and margaritas available to members with wristbands AND a hand stamp.  Both will be required in order to partake in the adult beverages before and after the parade.  We will start pouring in the staging area once the float is ready to go… probably around 9:00.   We will not offer refills during the parade route. No exceptions.  As a rule, alcohol consumption is NOT allowed during the parade.  That being said, no one will check what is in your Red Solo Cup, if you don’t give them reason to, so get a refill before you start marching.  Members are encouraged to bring and share Jello-Shots, but DO NOT give them to ANY parade spectators or to individuals outside our group.  

Will there be food available at the staging area?
No, we will not have food available, so please eat a good breakfast before you come. 

Can I ride the float?
We do still have a few spots left in case anyone needs to ride the float this year.   Please send the request to ride to [email protected]
If you are on the list to ride, please bring your own chair.  

Are kids welcome?
Yes!  Kids over the age of 5 can walk with us in the parade. Kids under 5 cannot march, so they need to be in strollers, wagons, etc.  There will not be children allowed on the float.

Do you need volunteers on Parade Day?  
Always!  We will have a lot of finishing touches to be done in the staging area, so come early and ask to help out. We’ll let you know what help is needed.

What do I need to be aware of during the parade?
First and foremost.. watch out for the truck and trailer, especially when they are making a turn.  Keep a safe distance.  Also, watch out for fellow Parrot Heads and let myself, Karen, Susan or one of the bartenders on the float know if you see anyone in distress, or someone who may have over indulged too much.  One drunken Parrot Head can ruin the fun for everyone… so please keep an eye out for each other.

Where are we meeting after the parade? 
We will be drinking in the parking lot for a while after the parade, but then the party moves to Hopper’s Sports Bar (Same place as our monthly meetings in Wheat Ridge).  The folks at Hopper’s have been great to us, sponsoring our float, providing the beer for the parade, and giving us a place for our monthly meetings, so please stop by after the parade to show them our appreciation for their continued sponsorship and support.  (This is starting to sound more and more like an Uber or Lyft kind of day!!)

What happens when this is all over?
As always, our float is built for just a one time use. It’s sad..  I know.  We will be tearing it down on Sunday, March 12.  If there is any part to the float you’d like to keep, let us know before Sunday and we’d be happy to take a donation for the piece you’d like to keep (we will not be selling the palm trees again this year, the palm fronds are too hard to find).  We will be dismantling the float on March 12, in the build location (5461 Marshall St, Arvada).  We need some help to tear down and get everything off the property that day, so we can get the trailer back to its owner.  Please join us for the tear down, beginning at 9am.  It usually only takes a couple of hours.  Bring your own drinks and snacks.  Tear down day is actually a lot of fun!  Hope you can join us!

Questions?
If you have questions on anything or think of something I haven’t covered, please contact us.

Please always follow the parade marshals’ instructions.  If you have questions while in the staging area, ask a Marshal.  They’ll be wearing a green jacket with a logo

No drones allowed. Photographers are allowed on sidewalks.

Remember to bring leis and candy, and wear your most festive attire!  
We hope to see everyone Saturday morning!

Slàinte!