Parade Guidelines

Parade Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026.
Start Time: 10 a.m. (rain or shine). Entries must be checked in and staged up by 8:30 a.m.
Location: Yukon Main Street/Route 66

2026 Theme:  “Czechin’ Our Roots on Route 66”

The annual Oklahoma Czech Festival parade encourages entrants to incorporate the theme into their float design. The theme gives non-profits, businesses, organizations and individuals lots of options for showing off their creativity in their design.

Parade Route: The Parade Start is at the corner of Garth Brooks Blvd and Main Street. The Parade End is at the corner of 3rd and Main Street.

Anticipated Attendance: 25,000+

Parade entries are encouraged to be entertaining, creative, and exciting. Participants with a float, push float, band, colorful costumes, uniformed attire, drill/dance team, comical routines, antique or unique vehicles, etc. are crowd favorites.

Parade organizers will approve applicants. Notification of acceptance and details will be emailed. Entry numbers will be determined on parade day and will be distributed during check-in on Saturday, October 3, 2026 starting at 8 a.m. in the Yukon Middle School 7th & 8th Grade Center parking lot.

Please read the Entry Requirements and Safety Guidelines. For updated information on the parade, please visit our website at www.czechfestivaloklahoma.com or call 405-354-7573.

Non-Commercial entries are parade units entered by an individual, non-profit, academic/school, service club, or youth group. They cannot promote commercial or financial businesses. One non-commercial entry per application please.

Commercial entries are parade units entered by for-profit businesses. One business entry per application please.

The Oklahoma Czechs Inc Parade Committee reserves the right to remove any entry not adhereing to parade guidelines, rules, and regulations.

Entry Requirements and Selection

General Requirements:

  • Entry applicants are all subject to approval by the Parade Organizers.
  • Parade entries and participants must be “family friendly” and appropriate to be seen by all ages.
  • The Oklahoma Czech Festival parade will not be used as a platform for special interests.
  • No entry will be entered into the parade whose purpose is to promote any partisan political position or ballot proposal. No unit may solicit funds while taking part in the parade for any reason.

NO TOSSING Candy or Favors:
For the safety of everyone, especially our youngest parade-goers,

  • No entry may throw/toss candy, gum, toys, promotional items, pamphlets, or campaign materials from any vehicle.
  • The above items may be handed out by people walking the parade route.
  • Violation of this NO THROWING RULE may result in your entry from participating in future Oklahoma Czech Festival parades and/or a citation from the City of Yukon.

This is a FORWARD MOTION PARADE. All entries are required to maintain a continuous forward motion during/througout the parade route. No stopping of vehicles is allowed.

Identification Signs:

  • Identification banners are encouraged for entries in the parade
  • Signs must be for identification purpose only and NOT as an advertisement or political statement.

March Musical Units:

  • Musical units are requested to perform during the full length of the parade route.
  • Unit members are required to be in uniform and/or cordinating attire.

Specialty Units: (Clowns, Color Guards, Drill/Dance/Baton, Scout Groups, etc.)

  • Entrants requiring vehicles to carry sound systems must notify the Parade Organizers on the application. Carts or vehicles accompanying the entry must be decorated.
  • Drill/dance routines must be chroeographed to be forward motion, with no stopping to perform.
  • Judged performance will have no more than 30 seconds to perform their routine at parade center (insection of 5th St. & Main St.).

Float and Vehicle Requirements

FLOATS:

  • Floats cannot exceed 50 feet in length (including tow vehicle), 13 feet in height and 10 feet wide.
  • All vehicles must be properly insured and drivers must have a valid drivers license.
  • All passengers standing or sitting on the float MUST be wearing a safety belt or have handholds or other support while the float is moving.
  • Vehicle and float drivers must be able to have a clear view of the front of the vehicle
  • Floats must be constructed of fire-safe. materials and must carry a fire extinguisher
  • Appropriate area for vehicle exhaust must be designed into the float/unit.

VEHICLES:

  • Vehicles considered for entry must be antique or unique.
  • Commercial business vehicles such as vans, tankers, farm machinery, tractor-trailers and other large vehicles may not be accepted due to safety concerns. Entries in this category will be evaluated and accepted by the Parade Organizers.
  • Drivers must be able to have a clear view of the front of the vehicle.
  • No commercial or private vehicles are allowed without prior written approval by the parade staff.
  • All vehicles must be properly insured and drivers must have a valid drivers license. (These will be checked on the day of the parade during Staging)

EQUESTRIANS/ANIMALS:

  • No more than 6 horses per entry.
  • Any animal deemed unsafe in the parade will be removed.
  • All animal units must provide their own “clean-up” crew to follow their unit in the parade.
  • Equestrian riders should be at least 12 years of age and accompanied by an adult trainer.
  • All equestrian entries MUST have trainers walking with every two horses.
  • ANIMALS MUST BE NOTED ON FORM: If you are bringing animals with your unit, they must be identified on the Parade Entry Form. Horses, dogs, cows, reptiles, and any other wild or domestic animals shall not be in the parade without specific written approval by the Parade Committee. All entrants with animals must submit proof that there is insurance in place to cover the animal’s activity

SPECIAL GUESTS / DIGNITARIES:

  • ELECTION/ISSUE CAMPAIGNING: NO participant may advocate, oppose or depict any political, religious, social or other ballot or political issue or candidate in the parade.
  • The Oklahoma Czech Festival Parade will not permit itself to be used as a platform or advertising vehicle for any candidate or issue.
  • No election signs, themes, or colors may be displayed. Units discovered to have political advertising, or to be distributing political advertising along the route, will be removed from the line-up.
  • Currently serving elected officials who represent the Canadian County area will be invited to ride in the parade. Black and white signs may be used to identify only their current status. They may not campaign for re-election, or for another office, nor may they display or distribute electioneering materials or election colors or shirts on the Parade Route.
  • Candidates, and others, are invited to rent a booth in the Festival Area for electioneering purposes

PARTICIPANT AGE RESTRICTIONS:

  • Walking participants must be at least six years old or older.
  • There must be a least one adult escort for every six children under the age of 13 years.
  • Young children riding on a float must have adult supervision with and around them at all times.

Safety Guidelines

  • ALL ENTRIES MUST BE SAFE. Breaking any of the following safety protocols will subject units to immediate removal from the Parade. Units removed from the parade will not be permitted into the parade line up the following year.
  • DO NOT USE AIR HORNS. Air horns may not be used by any unit in the parade.
  • DO NOT THROW CANDY. Throwing of any candy, merchandise or other items is prohibited. Items must be handed to spectator. If your unit is seen throwing items, you may be removed from the parade.
  • DO NOT HAND OUT food items or merchandise along the parade route without prior authorization.
  • DO NOT proceed in an unsafe manner.
  • DO NOT interfere in any way with other units.
  • ALCOHOL IS PROHIBITED. DO NOT consume any alcoholic beverages in the staging area or along the route.
  • Equestrian Units MUST have a Pooper Scooper.
  • DO NOT JUMP ON or OFF any moving float or vehicle.
  • Comply with ALL Parade Organizer’s requests

Entry Application Form

  1. The entry application form must be completed and signed with the understanding of the general rules and guidelines.
  2. The Parade Organizers reserve the right to reject any entry or application at any time for any reason.
  3. Applicants will receive notification of their acceptance within two weeks of receipt.
  4. Day-Of instructions will be emailed to the primary contact two weeks prior to the parade.
  5. The rules and guidelines are for the safety and quality of the Oklahoma Czech Festival Parade. Failure to abide by these rules and guidelines, as well as those presented with the parade information, may result in the entry’s removal from the parade.

By participating in the Oklahoma Czech Festival Parade, all entries will adhere to the following:

  • I/we hereby understand and agree to accept the risk of bodily injury and/or property damage which I/we may incur or cause a third party to incur as a result of my/our participation in the Oklahoma Czech Festival Parade.
  • With this understanding, I/we further agree to indemnify, defend and save harmless Oklahoma Czechs, Inc., City of Yukon, its Boards, its Commissions and their respective officers, agents, contractors, volunteers and employees from and against any and all claims, losses, injuries, suits and judgments arising from, or in connection with/my successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators, and any other persons or entity’s who/which may have a claim based on my/our personal injuries and/or property damage.
  • I/we further understand and agree that this save harmless and indemnification shall apply to and all facilities that Oklahoma Czechs, Inc. and the City of Yukon may own and/or control.
  • I/We understand that segments of the media may be present at the parade and I/We grant an unconditional release for all rights of publications, press, radio and television present and future, along with all video and photographic rights by virtue of their appearance.
  • Furthermore, I/we have read and agree to abide by the Oklahoma Czech Festival Parade guidelines and rules, as shown in the information provided in this application and those to be presented with the participant’s information package if my unit is accepted.

Cancellation Policy

  • Only a significant act of nature will cancel the Oklahoma Czech Festival and Parade. All units will be notified at the earliest convenience.
  • If there is an unforeseeable reason your unit is not able to participate in the parade, you must contact the parade organizer prior to the parade date as soon as possible.
  • Entries absent on parade day without proper notification may not receive future invitations to participate.

Parade Sponsorship

The Oklahoma Czech Festival is organized by Oklahoma Czechs, Inc., a non-profit organization for the purpose of sharing our Czech & Slovak heritage, culture, and traditions with the greater community. For more information about parade sponsorships and other Oklahoma Czech Festival sponsorship opportunities, visit the sponsorship webpage on Oklahoma Czech Inc.’s website or call (405) 354-7573.