Parade Rules
Download the Parade Rules and Regulations (PDF)
St Patrick Day Parade Committee Parade Rules and Regulations
Invitation Only
Participation in the St Patrick Day Parade is by invitation only. All parade units who have participated in past parades and who are in good standing with the Parade Committee are invited back for the 2025 St Patrick Day Parade. An invitation email will be sent to all parade unit leaders/lieutenants of record alerting them of the opening of the parade registration process for the parade. It is the responsibility of parade unit leaders/lieutenants to notify the Parade Committee on any changes regarding parade unit leadership or contact information for their respective parade units.
Parade Experience
The St Patrick Day Parade is a family-oriented event, and its’ goal is to provide a positive parade experience for our community. Parade units participating in the parade are mandated to adhere the following decorum guidelines:
- No obscene or offensive parade unit decorations are permitted.
- No obscene or offensive costumes are permitted.
- Parade unit participants must maintain proper dress during the parade. No undergarments worn or shirtless riders are permitted.
- No obscene or offensive parade throws are permitted.
- No obscene or offensive music is to be played by parading units.
- No parading unit is allowed to display banners, signs, or flags promoting political affiliations, business advertisements, or obscene or offensive representations.
- Megaphones and microphones used to call out to the parade going crowds are prohibited.
Failure by a parading units to adhere to these decorum guidelines will put that unit at risk of being removed from the parade and not invited to participate in future parades. Additional Jefferson Parish ordinance guidelines are referenced at the end of the document.
Parade Unit Leadership
All participating parade units are required to name a unit leader/lieutenant for their respective organizations. This process begins with the registration of the parade unit for the 2025 parade. The parade unit leader/lieutenant is required to provide the Parade Committee with all unit specific information as requested. This information includes but is not limited to the parade unit roster and position on the unit, and parade unit insurance for the parade. All parade unit leaders/lieutenants are required to attend the mandatory Parade Committee Safety Meeting that will be scheduled for March 6, 2025, at the Elks Lodge on Cleary Avenue in Metairie, La. Failure to attend this meeting or provide the necessary documentation for the parade unit at this time may result in the unit not being allowed to participate in the 2025 parade.
Parade Safety
Following parade safety guidelines and the adherence of all state and local ordinances is mandatory. All pertinent guidelines and ordinances to be followed are contained in this communication and on the websites provided below. It is the responsibility of the parade unit leaders/lieutenants to read these ordinances and communicate this information to all members of their organization.
The use of generators and inverters used by parading units is strictly governed by the respective ordinances below. Questions regarding the use of generators or inverters may be directed to Chief James Noveh with the Jefferson Parish Fire Department. He can be reached through his office at 504-736-6200.
Parade Day Line-up for Parade Units
All parade units must be at the designated parade staging area no later than 10:00am on parade day. Specific line-up locations for all parade units will be provided to the parade unit leaders/lieutenants at the Parade Committee Safety Meeting. The parade unit leader/lieutenant must always remain with their parade units while in the line-up area. Additionally, the parade unit driver must also remain with the parade unit at all times while in the parade staging area. Parade units are not to block cross streets, and they are instructed to park as reasonably close to the curb so that emergency vehicles can operate in and around the parade staging area.
Parade Unit Placards
All parading units must display the four St Patrick Day Parade placards that denote the parade unit line-up position in the parade. Exchanging placards and or positions in the parade line-up is prohibited. Placards are to be displayed as communicated at the Parade Committee Safety Meeting. Parade units will receive their parade unit placards at the safety meeting once their unit rosters are submitted and proof of parade insurance has been received and verified.
Parade Throws
All throws in the St Patrick Day Parade must conform to traditional parade day throws. This includes produce which is allowed as a parade day throw. Restrictions on produce are no pineapples, watermelons, cantaloupes, or other similar generous sized fruits or vegetables. Potatoes, limes, and lemons will be allowed in the 2025 parade. There are two restrictions regarding the delivery of produce in the 2025 parade. The first pertains to the top level of double decker parade units. While produce will be allowed on the second level of the parading units, cabbage on the upper parade unit levels is strictly prohibited. The second restriction is that ALL PRODUCE must be delivered hand to hand or through an underhanded toss. No produce is allowed to be thrown to parade goers in an overhanded fashion.
Parade Judging
The anonymous Parade Committee judges will be positioned along the parade route. They have scorecards that have been created to judge the marching groups, floats, and trucks based on unit decorations, unit costumes, and direct positive crowd interactions. Some Parade Committee judges will be equipped to video all parade units in the parade. After the parade, the Parade Committee Board will meet with the parade judges to evaluate the unit scoring and select the top three award winners in the marching group, float, and truck categories. Additionally, the review and discussion of parade units who do not follow the communicated parade day protocols and safety guidelines will be subject to Parade Committee disciplinary action which can take the place of a written warning or suspension from future parades depending on the severity of the infraction.
Jefferson Parish Parade Regulations
- No behavior that is indecent or vulgar.
- No bomb bags.
- No boxes or trash is to be discarded from parade units during the parade.
- No consumption of alcohol in the parade staging area.
- No confetti cannons that contain mylar or other metallic materials.
- No condoms or prophylactics are allowed to be thrown.
- No exploding or detonating parade throws.
- No firearms are permitted in or on parade units. Duly commissioned law enforcement personnel are exempted provided they provide written notification of intent to carry to the Parade Committee one week prior to the scheduled parade.
- No flowers with wire stems are permitted.
- No glass or sharp-edged items are permitted.
- No laser pointers are permitted.
- No life-threatening objects are permitted.
- No microphones or megaphones are permitted.
- No noxious substances or liquids are permitted.
- No obviously intoxicated parade unit members are allowed.
- No sexually indecent dress or characterization is permitted.
- No sexually oriented devices (blow-up dolls – sex toys) are permitted.
- No silly string cans are permitted.
- No sitting on the ledge or railing of parading units is allowed.
- No smoking or vaping is allowed on float or truck units.
- No spears are allowed as parade throws.
- No standing on anything other than the floor deck of all parading units.
- No throwing in the parade staging or disbanding areas is permitted.
- No animals of any kind are permitted on rolling parade units.
Jefferson Parish Ramifications and Penalties for Infractions
- A parade unit member may be subject to surrender all parade throws for the duration of the parade.
- A parade unit member may be removed from the parade.
- Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office has the capacity to arrest parade unit members, and they may be subject to fines and or imprisonment depending upon the charge.
- Citations may be imposed on parade unit members from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, or the Jefferson Parish Fire Department as warranted.
Questions regarding the Jefferson Parish Code of Ordinances and the interpretation therein may be directed to the following:
Jefferson Parish Department of Citizen’s Affairs
Phone: 504-736-6000
Email: jpcitizensaffairs@jeffparish.net
Sec. 6-65. – Purpose
Sec. 6-79. – Auxiliary vehicles.
Sec. 6-82. – Floats.
Sec. 6-83. – Generators.
Sec. 6-95. – Truck-floats.