Grand Parade

Join us on Monday, July 5 at 9am for the Grand Parade – the largest of its kind in the state of Utah – highlighting freedom through bands, professionally crafted floats, giant helium balloons and local and national performers. Entries will be given the unique challenge to promote patriotism among the 250,000 spectators, through music, displays, dance, and other creative and meaningful expression. The parade will follow the same route that it has in previous years. It begins at 960 N. University Ave. and proceeds south to 100 S. and then turns east to 200 E. From there it turns north to Center St. and then turns east and ends at 900 E.

PARADE ENTRY THEME

The theme for parade entries should be based on America’s Freedom Festival mission statement, “To celebrate, teach, honor, and strengthen the traditional American values of family, freedom, God, and country”. Online Applications only. See link at bottom of this page.

RESERVED BLEACHER SEATS

On sale June 1st.

Reserved bleacher seats for the Grand Parade may be purchased at the Utah Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau. Tickets are $7.00 each. The offices of the Utah Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau are located in historic downtown Provo on the corner of University Avenue and 100 South. For directions or other information call (801) 851 -2100.

PROVO CITY PARADE SPECTATOR RULES

Spectators may “stake out” their claim to a spot along University Avenue no earlier than July 4, 2010 at 3:00pm per Provo City Ordinance. All other portions of the parade route can not be claimed or reserved until July 5, 2010 at 5:00am.

This includes trying to “reserve or occupy, or attempt to claim, reserve or occupy, either in person or by the placement of ropes, tents, chairs, sleeping bags, blankets, or other devices or barriers, any public property as a position for observing [the] public parade” (SECTION 9.14.220).

All motor vehicles located on the parade route must be moved prior to 8:00pm on July 4, 2010 or “shall be considered a public nuisance and may be towed from the public street”.

Please note that in order to reserve a spot on the parade route at least one person must be present. Any items left unattended may be moved.

PORTABLE TOILET LOCATIONS

Portable toilets will be located every other block along the parade route.

HANDICAP PARKING

Handicap parking is available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the church located at 150 E. 200 S. in Provo.  Vehicles must enter the parking lot from 200 South. There is no reserved handicap seating.

Parade Entry Application
Parade Vendor Application

Boy Scout Involvement

In celebration of 100 Years of Scouting, Scouts and Scouting units are invited to participate in the Grand Parade. Some of the opportunities are: March as a member of the BSA marching detail; provide parade entries (floats, marching groups, etc.); carry banners in front of entries; carry parade balloons (18+ age only); march as a member of the service detail (last entry in the parade) which will be cleaning up the parade route; man water booths along the Freedom Run route (begins 7:30 a.m.) Full uniforms will be required (except for the service detail – who will be provide t-shirts.) Register to participate at www.utahscouts.org/freedomfestival.

A Sincere Expression of Gratitude

Provo residents held their first Independence Day celebrations back in 1877.  That celebration and the more than 130 that have followed, honored the courage and dedication of those patriots that founded this great nation and the thousands who died to establish and maintain the freedoms we enjoy.  The Grand Parade sponsored by America’s Freedom Festival has for the last 28 years maintained the same goal. We seek to have participants “experience a greater feeling of patriotism, feel gratitude for the sacrifice and service given to our country, join in unity as a community and sense their personal obligation to sustain and preserve these values”. The Grand Parade showcases both the diversity and unity of our community and is the result of significant commitment and much hard work.  Thirty-six men and women form the Grand Parade Committee, giving freely of their time to plan, coordinate and direct the efforts of hundreds of additional volunteers and participants in a yearlong effort to bring this extraordinary celebration of freedom to nearly a 400,000 celebrants.   We recognize the efforts and sacrifices made by each of them and their families who support them and we desire to draw your attention to these wonderful individuals and the effort made in your behalf. Please express your appreciation and gratitude to the following:

Rich  Chapman                 Announcers Chair

Lee Fish                         Automobiles Chair

Bryan Mathews                Automobiles Assistant

MaryAnn Evans               Balloons Chair

Nancy Cannon                 Bands Chair

David Nay                       Bleachers Co-Chair

Jeff Strain                      Bleachers Co-Chair

Brett Beasley                   Dignitaries Chair

Daniel Bowman               Equestrian Entries Chair

Cindy  Kennard               Exec. Assistant

Janese Christensen          Float Base Chair

David Griffith                   Flyover Chair

Mike Casperson               Judging / Awards Chair

George Stokes                  Military Entries Chair

Terry Kennard                 Parade Co-Chair

Josh DeWitt                     Parade Operations Chair

Randy Anderson             Parade Route Clean-up Chair

Tara Catmull                    Pre-parade Chair

Ted Lee                          Publicity Chair

Suzanne Barney               Radio Coordination Chair

Andy Heil                         Radio Coordination Assistant

Wally Breitenstein         Security Chair

Merrill Sheffer                 Security Assistant

Bruce Simon                     Signs/Banners Chair

Dallas Harken                   Vending Chair

Rachael Beasley             VIP Catering Chair

Alec Fowler                      Volunteer Chair

Shanna Besendorfer       BSA Liaison

Jeff Vest                         BYU Police Liaison

Scott Henderson             Provo City Liaison

Gary Jolley                       Provo City Fire Liaison

Todd Grossgebauer         Provo City Police

Augustine Avalos             Provo Ch17 Liaison

Scott Peppler                   Provo City Public Services Liaison

Brad Rollins                      Provo City Sanitation Liaison

We must also recognize the financial and operational support given by our great sponsors. Without their support it might be impossible to continue to bring this wonderful event to you. Please recognize and express your appreciation and gratitude to the leaders of the following organizations:

Provo City        Daily Herald         Metal Mart          Comcast          Toyota

Chairperson(s): Alan DeWitt - ald@iveracity.com, Terry Kennard – tdk98@comcast.net

Parade Entries: Cindy Kennard – ffgrandparade@gmail.com

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Event Sponsors