Due to the high volume of inquiries we receive as the parade date approaches, we ask that you PLEASE READ the Frequently Asked Questions below, before contacting the Santa Clarita Parade Committee. If your question is unanswered, you can direct your inquiry to [info@scvparade.com]. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (Updated for 2008) Q: How do I know you've received my entry forms?
A: The parade is run by an all-volunteer organization, and there simply isn't the manpower or time to verify that your forms have been received. If you've placed them in the U.S. Mail before the cutoff date (June 27), you can rest assured that everything is OK. Receipt of forms has never been a problem in the past, and if it becomes a problem, we will resolve it at check-in on the day of the parade (July 4). NOTE: Entry forms may be dropped off no later than 5pm on June 27th at The Signal (24000 Creekside Road / Auto Row) or at KHTS AM-1220 Radio. Q: How long is the parade route?
A: A little over a mile. There is a slight incline in some areas; overall, it's uphill. Q: If I just want to watch the parade, do I need to contact you or fill out any forms?
A: No. Q: What is happening in Newhall Park after the parade?
A: Officially, nothing. There will be no public event in the park after the parade. Q: I'm a vendor and I want to sell stuff during the parade. What do I need to do?
A: Don't ask us. The Parade Committee does not license vendors. With assistance from the Sheriff's Department, vendors will be prohibited from interfering with the line of march during the parade. From our observations, push-cart ventors can expect Sheriff's deputies to check for a valid California business license and, if selling food, a Los Angeles County health permit. Q: If we can't use Silly String during the parade, why are the vendors allowed to sell it?
A: Because it is not a controlled substance like alcohol or drugs or even spray paint. It's a constitutional matter. The city of Santa Clarita doesn't have the power to ban the sale of a legal, non-controlled substance. It can only regulate its use. Thus, in 1996, the City Council adopted [an ordinance] banning the "propulsion" of Silly String and other substances into the line of march (the parade route). Q: Where should I park?
A: Anywhere you can do so legally. We know it can be a challenge, but somehow it works out every year. Watch for temporary NO PARKING signs on and near the parade route; violators are towed. If you are driving a parade vehicle, you will be shown where to park it when you check in. Q: I want to mail the entry forms but I don't have all of the signatures on the Liabilty Waiver. What should I do?
A: Send in what you've got, right away. Print out a second (or third or fourth) Liability Waiver and collect the rest of the signatures between now and the parade. Turn them in when you check in at the registration desk. On July 4, you MUST have one adult signature for every person, including children, who takes part in your entry. Q: Can I register online?
A: No, you need to print out and mail the completed forms to us. You CAN use PayPal to send your entry fees, if you wish. Use this address: info@scvparade.com. Q: What is the theme — "Sights and Sounds of Santa Clarita" — supposed to mean?
A: It means that the parade celebrates everything that makes the Santa Clarita Valley a great place to live, work, shop and play. It also means the judges will be looking for you to incorporate MUSIC in your entry. In addition to the specific theme for 2008, there is a second and equally important "permanent" theme: Celebrating America's Independence. Ideally, your entry should reflect your own interpretation of one or both of these themes. Q: How do I find out about the 5K run?
A: By visiting the [Santa Clarita Runners website]. The Parade Committee is not directly involved in the run. Q: How do I find out about the pancake breakfast or fireworks?
A: Click on [July 4 Events]. Q: My little Suzy wants to decorate her bike, but she doesn't belong to an organization. Can she enter the parade as an individual?
A: Yes. She'll need to wear a helmet, be accompanied by a responsible adult if she's under 10, and follow all the rest of the [Parade Rules]. You'll need to send in the entry form and Liabilty Waiver and pay the non-commercial entry fee. Q: My nonprofit Cub Scout pack or Mom's Club doesn't have a big budget. Do we really have to pay the non-commercial entry fee?
A: Yes. The non-commercial entry fee is only $35. The Parade Committee is a nonprofit organization, too, and it costs money to put on the parade. Your entry actually costs the Parade Committee more than $35; the balance of your "true" cost is subsidized through a combination of commercial entry fees and donations. Q: I run a gym/dance team/karate studio/beauty pageant as a business. We do a lot of charitable work. Do we pay the non-commercial or commercial entry fee?
A: The commercial entry fee. Q: Wal-Mart/Lennar/The Home Depot is sponsoring our nonprofit Boy Scout troop's entry. We'll be using one of their vehicles with their logo on the side. Do we pay the non-commercial entry fee or the commercial entry fee?
A: The commercial entry fee. If your corporate sponsor is displaying its logo, then sponsoring your entry is a way for the company to enter the parade without paying full fare, as far as we're concerned. Q: Wal-Mart/Lennar/The Home Depot is merely writing the check to cover our nonprofit Boy Scout troop's entry fee. We won't display their logo or advertise for them in any other way during the parade. Do we pay the non-commercial entry fee or the commercial entry fee?
A: The non-commercial entry fee. Q: My kid will be on a bike/skateboard/roller skates. Does he really have to wear a helmet?
A: Yes. Read the [Parade Rules]. No helmet, no insurance coverage. No insurance coverage, no parade. Adults are not required to wear a helmet but are strongly advised to do so. Q: We want to give away candy from our parade float. Is that OK?
A: If you want to give away candy, American flags, literature or anything else, someone from your entry must walk alongside the crowd and HAND it to the spectators. THROWING ANYTHING — or allowing the crowd to walk/run up to your float to receive anything — will result in your entry's immediate expulsion from the parade. It is simply too dangerous and our insurance wouldn't cover it if anything bad happens. Read the [Parade Rules].

---

Santa Clarita Parade Committee