Parade Regulations

UPDATES PRIOR TO PARADE

Application Deadline: January 25, 2009

CANCELATION PROCEDURES. In case of inclement weather, all those that have provided the Parade Coordinator with an email address will receive notification of the cancellation via email no later than 8:00 AM the day of the parade. In addition, parade cancellations will be broadcast on Radio Stations WICH, WCTY, WNLC, & WKNL.

UPDATED PARADE REGULATIONS. Please review the updated parade regulations posted on our website the Friday before the parade.

DIRECTIONS

DIRECTIONS TO MUSTER POINT. The muster point is the South Parking Lot of the Mystic Seaport. Take Exit 90 off I-95, and travel South on State Route 27 (Greenmanville Avenue) for one mile, passing by the North Parking Lot (2nd traffic signal) to the 3rd traffic signal. Turn left into lot, driving straight to the back of the lot, and look for an assistant parade marshal in a solid green sash who will provide parking and rally information.

POLICE & FIRE DEPT. – SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

ARRIVAL TIME - FIRE DEPARTMENTS. All fire departments (except Mystic FD), should plan on arriving at least 2 hours (before Noon) to allow uninhibited passage through the parking lot, and safe backing into your assigned parking space. NOTE: Only one vehicle per fire department will be allowed in the parade, with the exception of the host FD, Mystic. Mystic FD will not be eligible for the FD award.

SIRENS & HORNS PHOHIBITED. The use of sirens & horns during the parade is reserved to those units actually responding to an emergency, and all participants must move to the right & yield to such traffic sounding their sirens or horns. Use of flashing lights of any color by public service vehicles is permitted.

ALL PARADE UNITS & PARTICIPANTS

ARRIVAL TIME - ALL OTHER PARADE UNITS & PARTICIPANTS. Please plan on arriving at least an hour (between 11:00AM & 12:00PM) before the parade starts. The earlier the better.

BUSES. All buses will enter the Seaport South Parking Lot, drive straight in as far as possible, turn left into the northern section of the lot, discharge their passengers & equipment, drive around the northern perimeter of the lot & turn right on the exit/entrance connector. Buses will then turn left on SR-27, continue on to SR-1 & turn right, proceeding to SR-215 (Water St.), turn left, & drive beyond the end of the parade on SR-215. The bus driver should ask the Parade Official located at the entryway to the Art Association Parking Lot on Water Street where bus parking has been arranged. No parking will be allowed on the southbound side of SR-215.

NON-PARADE PASSENGERS & DRIVERS. Cars with passengers not in the parade will not be allowed to park in the South Lot. If a car has parade participants in addition to non-parade passengers, it will put into the entryway, make a U-turn, discharge its parade participants, exit the South Lot, and then park in the Northern Lot, if it so wishes. Parents will be allowed to escort their children to their rally point within the parking lot, but must depart the parking lot afterwards as parking is limited.

VEHICLE TRAFFIC WITHIN THE LOT. All parade unit traffic, except those dropping off passengers who are in the parade, will proceed straight in the center roadway to the end of the parking lot, then turn right, and drive to their assigned rally area.

MUSTER OR RALLY POINT. Parade marshals will direct you to your assigned muster area within the parking lot.
NOTE: This info will be posted on our website. Please pass it along to your members to avoid confusion in the lot.

BACKING WITHIN THE LOT. All vehicles backing within the Lot will have a ground guide behind the vehicle to ensure that the way is clear of pedestrians and vehicles.

KEEP LOT ROADWAYS CLEAR. As much as practical, the South Lot perimeter road will be kept clear until 1:30PM to allow other parade units to reach their assigned rally area.

LOT CLOSING TIME. Entry to the South Lot will close promptly at 12:30PM to allow units time to form up in the parking lot roadways.

LATE ARRIVALS. Any parade unit or member arriving after 12:30PM will be directed to park in the North Lot, and then will have to walk the quarter mile to the South Lot. The exception to this are VIPs who have reserved parking in the front of the South Lot.

DIESEL ENGINES SHUT OFF IN LOT. In consideration of our neighbors living beside the South Lot, all vehicles with diesel engines will turn off their engines after parking within the South Parking Lot.

TOILETS. Portable toilets will be available in the South section of the Mystic Seaport South Parking Lot. Additional toilets are also available inside the German Club on the Northwest side of the Lot.

THE PARADE

PARADE STARTING TIME. The parade starts promptly at 1:00PM.

PERFERRED MUSIC SELECTIONS. Music played should, as much as possible, be of Irish or Celtic nature.

PARADE SPACING. Divisions should maintain a 25 yard separation from the preceding division. It will be the responsibility of the first unit of the follow-on division to maintain this separation. Your unit may be requested to hold on the parade route by the parade official accompanying each division. Should this occur, you are encouraged to interact with the crowd and/or play music during the hold period.

NO ITEMS THROWN DURING PARADE. To prevent possible injury, no items, including candy or toys, are to be thrown from automobiles, trucks, or floats, to parade viewers.

NO ALCOHOL. No alcoholic beverages are to be consumed or carried along the parade route by units participating in the parade.

NO POLITICS / VULGARITIES. The presence of placards, banners, or other devices including pamphlets intended to spread propaganda, political views, have vulgarities or other contents of an offensive nature or intended to embarrass any group or unit of marchers is prohibited.

NO ANIMAL WASTE DROPPINGS. Parade units having animals will immediately pick up all waste left by same prior to the arrival of the following parade unit.

FLAG ETIQUETTE. Units displaying our National Colors will adhere to the flag code (Public Law 623), part of which reads at Section 176, paragraph C, that “The flag should never be carried flat or draped over the hood of a car, but always aloft and free.” Those units carrying both the US flag and that of another nation, including Ireland, are reminded that the US flag should always be the right most flag.

JUDGES. The official judges for the marching and musical competitions will be stationed along the parade route.

REVIEWING STAND. The reviewing stand is located on the West (the parade’s right) side of Bank Square, located on Water Street (SR-215) immediately after turning left from Main Street and Water Street (SR-215).
Note: Due to time constraints there will be absolutely no stopping in front of the reviewing stand.

AFTER THE PARADE

MORE TOILETS. Public toilets will be available at the end of the parade beside the police substation at the entryway to the Art Association parking lot.

REFRESHMENTS. Free coffee prior to the parade in the rally point, and coffee, other refreshments and light snacks after the parade are planned for parade participants in the Art Association parking lot.

NO VEHICLES IN ART ASSOCIATION LOT. Vehicles participating in the parade will not be allowed into the parking lot of the Art Association, as there simply isn’t enough room to accommodate all. Parade vehicles should either find a parking space along SR-215 or one of the side streets, or continue on SR-215 for a quarter mile to the 1st stop sign, turn right & go North on West Mystic Avenue, through the traffic signal & onto Allyn Street to I-95, then circle back down to the South Parking Lot of Mystic Seaport.

PARTY TIME. All parade participants are welcomed, and encouraged to remain in Mystic after the parade to enjoy the traditional warm companionship normally associated with this most Irish of days. On St. Patrick’s Day, everyone is a little Irish.

VENDOR REGULATIONS

VENDOR’S BY APPROVAL ONLY. All street vendors must enter into a signed, written contract with the Mystic Irish Parade Foundation (MIPF) and pay the stipulated parade fee to MIPF prior to seeking town approval for a vending license for this parade.

HORNS PROHIBITED. Vendors will not sell any type of horn, either mouth-blown or one using compressed air, or other similar product.

SILLY STRING PROHIBITED. Venders will not sell Silly String, or other similar product.