2026 WHS HOCO Parade Rules and Guidelines

Please review these rules with parade participants

Safety FIRST

• All participants must consider everyone's safety: drivers, float riders, children, and parade watchers.

Check-In

• Check in at the Volunteer Table located on the south side of Westfield Middle School.  Enter from US 32.  Volunteers will help you stage your float.  Arrive by 5:30 PM.  The parade will start at 6:30 PM. 

Clubs, Teams, Schools Rules

• Identify the club or sport on the vehicle, float, or hand-held sign.

• Do not promote sponsorships, Businesses, or affiliations on your float.

• The float should focus on Westfield, Spirit, Schools, Rivalry, and family-friendly themes.

• Every float should bring a trash bag and keep its staging area cleaned up

Candy

• For safety reasons, no candy may be thrown from floats or vehicles. Candy may only be handed directly to attendees. Throwing candy may result in your group not being allowed in the 2027 parade. This rule is to prevent injuries and keep children from entering the street.

• Please bring candy for your walkers to share with attendees. The parade committee will not provide candy. 

Judges' Criteria (2026 Homecoming Theme: Rio/Night In Paradise ) 

• Creativity - Use of Shamrock Pride, Theme, creativity, and engagement

• Spirit - Engage the crowd throughout the parade, visually engaging (Everyone showing spirit), Organized spirit (unity), Westfield school color spirit

• Rocks Rivalry - We are playing HSE.

• Candy Disbursement - Ensure you have candy to hand out throughout the entire parade! Specifically, once you turn onto Union in the final stretch of the parade

• Cleanliness - Do not leave your Staging Area/Zone with debris or trash.

• Safety - Must have at least 2 people on each side of each vehicle, helping to keep kids from running towards cars