Community Fair Parade

REGISTRATION:

The Northwest Montana United Way reserves the right to approve or reject applications for any reason. To offset costs of the Parade there is a $50 registration fee for all participants, except for Veteran’s Groups and Emergency Responders Entries. See the entry definitions below.

Northwest Montana United Way 
1203 US Hwy 2 W, Suite 52, Kalispell, MT 59901 
Phone: 406-752-7266, Email: admin@unitedwaycares.org 
 

1. If there is a problem with your entry registration you will be contacted, otherwise follow the guidelines listed below for participation.  
2. Any cancellations for refunds must be received and confirmed by August 5, 2025.  
3. An insufficient funds charge of $50 will be charged to the individual or group submitting the parade registration.  
4. Registrations must be postmarked by August 1st for entry. Registrations presented on the day of the parade may be subject to an additional fee. 

LINEUP:  

1. The parade will begin at 10:00 am on August 8th. The parade will occur rain or shine. There is no rain date for this parade so please come prepared. 
2. Please refer to the attached list for your entry category. We will email everyone their assigned check in times August 6th. There will be a lot of congestion during the lineup time, please practice patience and tolerance. If you need assistance look for an individual with a yellow safety vest on. If they can’t immediately help you, they will contact someone who can. Be advised you may be asked to shift your position in line.  
   • 100    Agricultural    FFA, 4-H, other Animal Groups
   • 200    School & Civic Groups    Schools, Bands, Choral Groups, Rotary, Scouts, Civil Air Patrol
   • 300    Veterans    VFW, American Legion, Veterans Groups
   • 400    Business    Businesses
   • 500    Entertainment & Religious    Bicycles, Aerialists, Gymnastics, Worship Groups
   • 600    Automotive    Motorcycles, Car, Trucks, Auto Clubs
   • 700    Political    Political Groups, Individuals seeking office
   • 800    Emergency Responders    Sheriff, Police, Fire Departments, Ambulance, Search & Rescue
3. Enter the Kalispell Center Mall Parking lot at the North Entrance of 1st Ave West North by SunRift Brewery. You will then be directed to proceed around the North side of the mall to the registration check-in tent before you are guided to your line up or staging position. If you believe your entry is too large to maneuver in the Parking lot, please contact us in advance and you will be given alternate instructions.  
4. You will be given a registration number at the check-in tent for you to display, please place it on the passenger/left side of your entry so that the Parade Master of Ceremony can properly identify and announce you as you pass them. 
5. The registration check-in will be in at the north entrance of the Kalispell Center Mall off 1st Ave WN behind the old Herberger’s. You must come and check in at the registration desk upon your arrival. You will receive your entry number and any further instructions then.  
6. To ensure excellence in presentation and efficiency in coordination, all placements within the parade lineup are at the discretion of the parade organizing committee. The individual lineup order will be finalized on the day of the parade; you will be guided to your line up position. If you need assistance look for an individual with a yellow safety vest on. If they can’t immediately help you, they will contact someone who can. Be advised you may be asked to shift your position in line.   
7. Any conflicts will result in your immediate ejection from the parade and forfeiture of entry fee.

SAFETY FIRST! The lineup and staging areas will become congested with vehicles, pedestrians, and animals. Please always yield to pedestrians and animals; pedestrians please be aware of vehicles. In order to ensure safety for all participants please keep your speed limited to <10 mph in the lineup and staging area and remain alert.  

GENERAL RULES:

1. Entry Definitions: Each entry has a $50 entry fee. If you exceed the number per entry stated below a 2nd entry fee will be charged. We are a non-profit and put this Parade on for the benefit of the community, the entry fee is to help offset costs.  
   • Walkers and Pedal Bicycle numbers are limited to <20 with/for any entry. 
   • Animal Groups: in your application, please indicate the number of and type of animals ridden, walked, or pulling wagon/carriages; each entry is limited to <10 animals and <2 pulled wagons/carriages. You are responsible for picking up your own animal’s poop! 
   • Motor Vehicles: groups are limited to 10 vehicles per entry. 
   • Motorcycles: groups are limited to 6 vehicles per entry. 
   • Businesses: are limited to 2 vehicles per entry. 
   • Political & Religious: are limited to 1 vehicle per entry. 
   • Emergency Responders: no vehicle number limits within their own department. 
2. Motor Vehicle Participation:  
   • All drivers of a motor vehicle must have a valid driver’s license and proper insurance coverage. 
   • All motor vehicles must be operated in a safe manner at all times! 
   • During the Parade speeds are limited to <5 MPH and should flow with the speed of the entry in front of you. Please keep your spacing as stated below. 
   • No “Burn-Outs, Wheelies, Drifts, Stoppies” or other unsafe driving acts are permitted. Several observers of the Parade will be children. Practice SAFETY FIRST! If your entry is not interesting enough visually then perhaps it should not be in the parade. Failure to follow this rule will result in an immediate removal from the parade and appropriate action by law enforcement. You will be held Liable for any accidents. 
   • All motor vehicles and towed trailers should have visible operating brake lights, turn signals, and properly functioning brakes.  
   • Vehicles towing trailers must utilize safety chains as required for legal towing. All vehicles in the parade must be able to navigate the entire parade route and make all turns and clearances without difficulty. It is the responsibility of each driver/entrant to see to it that their float clears all obstacles (tree limbs, traffic lights, overhanging utility wires, etc.). You will personally be financially responsible for any damages caused. 
   • Each driver is responsible for actions of persons on vehicle and float/towed trailers. 
   • People are not allowed to get in/on or out/off vehicles/floats/towed trailers during the parade procession. 
3. Parade Decorum: Failure to abide by any of the following will result in immediate removal from the parade. 
   • The theme of the parade is TOGETHER, WE ARE MONTANA’S BEST, please, do not be disrespectful. 
   • Each registered organization, group, or person(s) are permitted to carry banner(s) advertising their registered organization or group.  
   • No Sexual Preference or Foreign Flags will be allowed to displayed in any manner in the Parade. 
   • No profanity, nudity, lewdness, violence, obscenity, hate, racism, signs or other materials insulting any ethnic, religious, political, or other identifiable group or individuals, or any material that is sexually explicit in nature is prohibited. This is a family friendly and all-American melting pot event, express tolerance, and friendship. 
   • No physical or verbal displays of aggression with other parade participants, parade officials, or spectators will be permitted. 
   • Parade participants ARE NOT permitted to throw items of any kind from floats or otherwise to observers.  
   • Candy or other promotional items must be hand distributed by WALKERS ONLY – as     close to the street curb as possible to prevent children from coming into the street and    close to the moving vehicles. SAFETY FIRST! 
   • This entry application is your ONLY warning. If you are found to be in violation of any of these rules you will be escorted out of the Parade! 
   • Consumption of alcoholic beverages or illegal substances in any manner is prohibited.  
   • Discharge of firearms or fireworks is prohibited.  
   • No fire eaters, flaming hoops, flaming jugglers, or anything on fire is allowed as part of an entry.  
   • It is requested that no extremely loud noises/music be played, there will be children and animals present which may get startled by this. (Emergency Responders Entries get a pass on this.) 
   • Participants should keep pace with the entry ahead of them! Please keep at least one vehicle length between yourself and the entry in front of you but no more than three. Please do not stop your entry.  
   • The pace of the Parade will be set by our 4 U.S. Marine Color Guard, if you can’t keep pace with them, then perhaps you should not be in the parade. 
   • If you cannot keep up the pace and a gap develops in front of your entry, you will be asked to close the gap immediately. There are others behind you, be considerate. 
4. Animals: 
   • Entrants are not permitted to allow spectators to have any contact with any animals.  
   • You are expected to maintain control of your animal(s) at all times; riders not exhibiting control will be immediately removed from the parade for their own and spectator’s safety. 
   • Animals must have updated vaccinations and be in good medical health and be able to cope with crowds, noise and other animals.
   • Animals of any size or breed must be kept on a leash or other restraint at all times. No exceptions.  
   • Animal Entrants are required to provide and utilize their own pooper scooping support. Failure to clean up after your animal either in the staging area or on the parade route will result in a lack of future participation, and a present of the aforementioned poop will be presented to you at a later date and time. We will have parade road guards on every block and we will see you! 
5. Emergencies and other information:
   • It is our goal to have parade road guard assistance on every block. Look for individuals with a yellow safety vest on. If they can’t immediately help, they will contact someone who can.  
   • Participants should be aware that it is possible that an emergency vehicle may need to leave the parade suddenly in the event of an emergency. Please courteously yield to such activity.  
   • This is a controlled, forward-motion parade. If your entry experiences problems during the parade, please exit the parade route in a safe manner ASAP; ask a parade road guard for assistance. Please do not block or delay the procession.  
   • There will be 2 Porta Johns for use in the lineup / staging area at the south side of the Kalispell Center Mall parking lot.   

Please keep this information for your reference. Your entry is your acknowledgement of these rules.