2023 Newport Christmas Parade 

The Cocke County Partnership is pleased to present the 2023 Newport Christmas parade on Friday, December 1, 2023 beginning promptly at 6:30 pm! This year we ask that parade participants embrace the theme – “A Griswold Kind Of Christmas”.

Parade guidelines, pricing and registration information are available here. Applications will also be available at the Chamber of Commerce office located at  115 Mulberry Street, Newport. You can print an application below  or register online by clicking here. Parade entry fees are to be submitted with the parade application.

The Parade will be shown again on Facebook live this year, compliments of the City of Newport. It will also be available for later viewing on YouTube and the Cocke County Partnership’s webpage.

2023 Christmas Parade Application

Parade Theme

THEME: “A Griswold Kind Of Christmas”

Deadline for entries will be November 27th, 2023

Participants Guidelines

    • ALL participants (floats, vehicles, marchers & horses, etc.) are encouraged to incorporate the parade theme in their music, float design, and/or costumes.
    • Entries must be entertaining to a family audience, primarily children.
    •  Santa Claus replicas (such as inflatables, décor, etc.) will be allowed but no one may be dressed as Santa Clause as part of any entry other than the Official Santa Claus Float at the end of the Parade.
    • Participants in the parade are prohibited from consuming or giving the impression of consuming alcoholic beverages and/or narcotics and shall refrain from smoking during participation in the parade.
    • All participants must complete the “Parade Script for Facebook” included on the parade application for their group/entry. If a script is not provided, then your group will only be announced by the business name during filming.
    • Any entry may be refused up to the start of the parade should the entry not meet parade guidelines or differ from its approved entry form.
    • Staging will begin @ 3:30pm at the CCHS parking lot. Parade order will be first come first serve.
    • ALL Participants will need to enter parade line up from Hedrick Drive and Cosby Hwy.  This year the road will be a one-way entry.  Entry from Broadway and Hedrick Drive will be closed to parade floats.
    • When in the staging area horns and loud music will be prohibited.
    • We ask all participants to be respectful of the staging area.  Throwing candy, leaving candy and trash on the grounds and vulgar language will not be tolerated and will result in removal from the parade no exceptions.
    • When you arrive, you must be parade ready (participants, decorations & candy) or you will not be allowed in staging parking lot. You will be directed to find another parking lot until your entry has all participants loaded and the float is decorated. No Exceptions.
    • NO CHILDREN MAY BE DROPPED OFF AT STAGING AREA BY A PARENT OR GUARDIN. YOU AS THEIR REGISTERED ORGANIZATION OR GROUP ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR SAFETY. THEY MUST ARRRIVE ON THE FLOAT WITH THE REGISTERED GROUP TOGETHER. THE CCP IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY OF UNATTENDED CHILDREN AND WILL NOT ALLOW CHILDREN TO BE DROPPED OFF.
    • If you need to arrive early to decorate the float or allow all participants to board your float you will need to find an area to have everyone meet other than Cocke County High School.
    • Route of Parade – Begins at Cocke County High School Parking Lots and will end at Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church. (DUE TO SAFETY AND TRAFFIC CONTROL: we ask that everyone follow the route to completion at Lincoln Ave. Baptist Church).  Horses, Tractors & 4 Wheelers that will be returning to Cocke County High School: you MUST continue to the end of the parade route and an escort will be waiting to provide a safe return to Cocke County High School.
    • Reckless behavior will not be tolerated. (Burnouts/squealing tires etc.) Failure to abide by these rules may result in removal from the parade and exclusion from future programs. Anyone not following the guidelines, using profanity, being unsafe, etc. will be removed from the parade at any time.
    • Four wheelers – Must have a valid Driver’s License. If driver is under 18 a parental consent form must be signed.
    • All horses will ride together at the conclusion of the parade following the parade procession back to Cocke County High School.

     

    Parade Guidelines will be strictly enforced.  

    DEADLINE: November 27th, 2023 @ 4:00 p.m.

  •  Entries accepted the day of the parade add an additional $10.00. Late entries will not be in the parade script and will be at the end of parade.

Performance Requirements

  • All performances will take place in front of First Baptist Church only and are limited to 3 minutes.
  • In an effort to keep the parade moving at a steady pace, if there are technical difficulties with music and you are not able to fix the difficulty within a reasonable amount of time (2 minutes) please continue the parade route.

Float Requirements

  • All floats are encouraged to incorporate the Parade theme – “A Griswold Kinda Christmas”
  • Automobiles/floats are encouraged to be decorated with string lights, pre-lit wreaths, light up garland etc. (Including automobiles hauling floats).
  • Signage shall be restricted to a total of 2 signs per float.  Each sign must not exceed 3 x 8 feet the sign should state the name of the group and theme to be easily identified by the media. Any acknowledgments should be in smaller lettering below the group name.
  • Music is strongly encouraged.  Please play Christmas music only.
  • Floats with generators or other possible fire hazards must provide suitable fire extinguishing equipment on the float.
  • Candy can be distributed from the floats or marchers in a safe manner.
  • Participants must ride on the float.  No one is to sit on the edge of the float /trailers with their feet dangling over the side.  It is strongly recommended that children be securely seated and supervised on the floats.
  • Participants riding inside of a vehicle must always remain inside of the vehicle.  No one is to be on top of a vehicle or hanging out of a vehicle, no exceptions.  This can result in the disqualification of your group for future events.
  • There will be no premature exiting of the Parade route.

All Vehicles and Horses with groups larger than 10

  • If you have a group with more than 10 vehicles, you will need to line up 2 vehicles side by side or group will need to be divided up and staggered throughout parade line up.
  • If you have a group with more than 10 horses, you will need to be in a double line.

Judging Requirements

The judging will take place at the Parade starting location (Cocke County High School Parking lot).  Entries will be judged according to the criteria below.  Judging is based on four categories.  Each category is rated on a scale of 1 to 10 for an overall score of 40. Judging will begin promptly at 6:00pm and will continue until the last group has been staged. Everyone needs to be on the float ready to be judged.

  • Effort – Adherence to the rules, theme, organization and planning
  • Theme – Adherence to the chosen theme, effective presentation of theme
  • Appearance and Originality – Style, presentation, overall appearance, and originality
  • Participation – From children on float, community spirit, enthusiasm from members of the group

Overall Awards

Winners will be awarded as follows: 1st Place Overall, 2nd Place Overall, 3rd Place Overall & Best Non-Profit.

A plaque will also be awarded as the Mayor’s Choice Float.  The Judges will decide tie breakers. All decisions will be final.

$5.00 Entry Fee for each

  • Marchers (up to 15 people)
  • Vehicle(s)
  • Horse(s)

$10.00 Entry Fee for each

  • Float(s)

For example, if you have a decorated truck with ten people walking along the route, you will pay $10. If you have a decorated truck pulling a trailer of people riding on the “float”, you will pay $10. If there was also a group of people walking along the route passing out candy, your total would then be $15. Parade entry fees are to be submitted with the parade application. Check or money order may be made payable to the Cocke County Partnership. Credit card payments are also accepted.

Entries made after November 28th, add an additional $10 late fee.