Hey Gang,
It's time to dust of the inverters, light up those jeeps and get ready to have some Christmas fun as we participate in the Lighted Centerville Parade. This year's route will begin at Thompson Middle School as normal. However, you cannot access Thompson Middle from Hwy 41. We will be approaching from Houston Lake Road. This year, numbers are not pre-assigned. So, the earlier we get there, the earlier we will appear in the parade. We are encouraging everyone to get to Thompson Middle at 4 pm. Your Jeep must be decorated prior to arriving. No one can be dressed as Santa.
You will need to be there no later than 5:45 pm to ensure the road is not blocked off. The parade is encouraging you to play holiday music. Remember, the best way to spread Christmas cheer is to play it loud for all to hear (ELF reference). We encourage you to bring candy to throw out to the crowd. However there are some rules regarding candy: No one under 18 can throw out candy. (Get caught, and we all get thrown out of the parade.) Drivers cannot throw candy (you can be cited by the Centerville PD as a distracted driver). When you throw out candy, do not throw it forward or backwards. Only throw candy to the sides of your Jeep. If they stack us side-by-side, Jeeps on the left throw to the left. Jeeps on the right side throw to the right only. If people approach your Jeep for candy, throw the candy over their heads. Remember, 2/3 of the parade watchers are in the last 300 yards of the route. So, conserve your candy til the end.
Drivers should maintain a distance of only 2 Jeep lengths behind each other. We need space for braking, but we also need to keep a tight formation. This year, the ride will end and curve BEHIND the mall, and then we will use Gunn Road to exit the parade festivities. Do not stop in the mall parking lot unless absolutely necessary. Drivers need to review the parade notes that are posted on the Facebook announcement.
Have fun, and let's get lit!
