2020 Rhody Parade

Check out the 2020 Virtual Rhododendron Festival Grand Floral Parade at https://vimeo.com/florenceoregon!

Like many of our neighbors, we are missing our daily interactions with people and missing our community connections. We are all disappointed to be missing this year's Rhododendron Festival due to the stay-at-home directives of the current pandemic.

We are safe. We are resilient. We are creative.

That’s why we are going online! We aren’t going to let 2020 blast past us without a Rhododendron Festival Grand Floral Parade!

We need your help. Now is your chance to be in the parade and help us celebrate this year's theme of Blast from the Past.

The Virtual Rhododendron Festival Grand Floral Parade will premiere on Facebook on Sunday, May 17th at noon. This virtual parade will feature entries from community members, organizations, and local businesses. Entrants are encouraged to use rhododendrons from your yards or ones you make, as well as other materials to decorate your parade entry. Send us a video or a photo and we will include you in the virtual parade!

What are we looking for?

Have your always wanted to be in the parade? Are you always in the parade and want to be in the audience? Now you can do both! We want to see your creativity and talent. Decorate your car, bike, wagon, bicycle, scooter, or just yourself for the parade. We know you are creative and we can’t wait to see what you come up with! Send us photos and videos of your parade entry.

Do you have a parade talent to showcase? Send us your photos or videos of your family marching band or dance routine.

Don’t want to be in the parade? That’s okay, we need an audience too! Send us your photos or videos sitting on the curb, standing in your driveway or sidewalk, or hanging out on the couch. Don’t forget to cheer for all the parade entries!

What are we missing? Oh, the awards! Make sure your entry is top notch for the judges. We will highlight the award-winning entries during the virtual parade!

​Step 1 – Create Your Entry:

• ​Find the Materials – Entries should be made or decorated from things you already have at home. You could use flowers from your yard, craft supplies, or anything else you can find to bring your float to life!
• Dress for the Occasion – Do you have Rhody Days gear from years past? Wear it! Do you have costume? Put it on! We want to see you dressed up for Rhody Days!
• Cheer – Don’t forget to cheer as the audience. Do you love Florence and the Rhody Festival? Tell us. A quiet parade isn’t any fun!

Step 2 – Submit Your Entry:

• ​Film the Entry – Film your parade entry from home by walking/driving past the camera as if you were in a parade. Here are a few notes:
  • Go left to right and show us all your faces!
  • Film with the camera horizontal.
  • Keep the video short!
  • Be safe and watch for traffic!
• Photography the Entry – Don’t want to film it? That’s okay, you can take a photo and send that in. We can still include it in the video.
• All submissions must be received by 8:00 p.m., Thursday, May 14, 2020.
• Please submit your parade entry to RhodyParade2020@gmail.com

Step 3 – Celebrate:

• ​Watch the parade – See your float featured in the Rhododendron Festival Grand Floral Parade on Facebook at noon, Sunday, May 17, 2020.
  • www.facebook.com/CityofFlorenceOregon
  • www.facebook.com/FlorenceOregon
• Tell your friends – Make sure to tell your friends so they can enter too! ​​

Rules and Regulations:

• Entries and themes must be appropriate for a family audience.
• Entry should not include:
  • A focus on religious, political, ideological, or controversial themes or issues.
  • Use of any political sign, social or political material is not permitted.
  • Items considered to contain obscene, indecent, or profane material.
  • Ridicules, exploits, or demeans persons on the basis of their age, color, creed, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.
• All submissions must be received by 8:00 p.m., Thursday, May 14, 2020.
• Submissions should be sent to RhodyParade2020@gmail.com.
• The City of Florence and/or the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce reserves the right to edit photos and videos as needed. 
• Submission of parade entry and/or tagging the City of Florence or the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce with related photos or videos on social media, grants those entities permission to use your images and footage on any platform.
• The City of Florence and the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce reserves the right to exclude any submissions that do not meet our guidelines or that feature content not aligned with our mission.
• Winners will be chosen from eligible entries and decided at the sole discretion of the judges for the Virtual Rhododendron Festival Grand Floral Parade. Winners will be recognized in the parade video.