06.03.22: Starlight Parade - Downtown PortlandUPDATE, 05.31.23: - We are group #11
- Our staging area is at the corner of SW Harvey Milk and SW 1st Street - see map below
- All marchers and spotters to arrive by 4pm
- Parade routes will close starting at 4:30pm
- Changing and meet up area will be in the Smart Park between SW 3rd & SW 4th/SW Morrison & SW Alder - see map below, level of garage to be posted here day of parade
GARAGE PARKING WE WILL CHANGE/MEET UP
STAGING AREA MAP (We are #11, small green circle on map)
TIMING SUGGESTIONS: -
Noon: Suggested arrival time if you want to get to a parking lot before they start closing roads.
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1:00pm: Staging area roads closed (estimate)
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4:00pm: Parade orientation hosted by our fearless leaders - ALL MARCHERS AND SPOTTERS MUST BE PRESENT (Location TBD soon
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4:30pm: Parade route roads closed (estimate)
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4:30pm: Start getting into costume to be ready and present at the formation/staging area
no later than 6:00pm (The timing
to be in the formation/staging location is from the parade officials) Once in the formation area we MUST stay on the sidewalk of our assigned block. Our
formation block is at SW Harvey Milk and 1st Street.
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6:00pm: Group photos in our staging area - Plan ahead to be ready on time! We want you in the pictures, but we don't want to make 50+ people
stand in formation in costume waiting for you!
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7:30pm: Parade scheduled to start
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7:30pm-8:15pm: We start marching (estimate)
Would you like to help us during one of our biggest, oldest, and highest-visibility events? Starlight Parade is coming up and we'd love your assistance!
We need a total (and maximum) of 10 marching spotters to help us at the Starlight Parade this year. Any number of volunteers are also welcome to stay back at the staging area with our vehicles to help keep an eye on things there and make sure there aren't any break-ins. Any spotters in excess of the 10 max need to stay back at the staging area.
- The 10 marching spotters can be SWO members or an adult (18+) immediate family member/household member/friend of a marching costumer, or a spotter.
- Two spotters will march at the back of the group to collect any pieces that may liberate themselves from our costumes. One of those two spotters will pull one wagon. The other eight spotters will be spread out to march next to our costumed marchers.
- Spotters will not be assigned to specific people, but the placement of spotters may be affected by characters who will potentially need extra attention during the parade.
- All spotters must agree to wear either a SWO spotter shirt (we have these to loan out if you don't have one of your own) or plain black shirt and plain shorts/pants (the darker the better, no patterns).
- All spotters must agree to "disappear" as much as possible. No interacting with the crowd (other than keeping them away from our costumers as needed), no hand gestures, etc. Focus on the marching costumers in your area to make sure everyone is doing okay.
- All spotters agree to follow the guidelines and instructions presented by the spotter lead Heather McGee on the day of the event.
- All spotters need to sign up in advance.
If you're not already familiar with it, there's a lot of helpful information about this event
here. We will know our placement and meeting spots as the event gets closer, so those are still subject to change.
SPOTTER ROSTER:
1. Rebecca
2. April
3. Becca and Koa
4. Barclay and Val friend
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Backups/On-Deck:
Volunteers to stay in the staging area and keep an eye on things:
GENERAL INFO- We are #TBD in the parade line up this year.
- Parade length is about 2.25 miles. This was a new route introduced last year, so we are still going to be a little on the learning curve as far as location, timing, etc
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO RIGHT NOW- Get cooling vests or other mechanisms for keeping yourself from overheating ready to go. One option: http://coolvest.com/ - Another option: Freeze water in a Camelback.
PRE-PARADE- Familiarize yourself with where we’re parking, meeting, and staging. Make a plan for how and when you will arrive (we should have this info soon).
- The day before the parade, wear your boots/shoes all day to get your feet used to them. Figure out where blisters might form and get some moleskin down on those areas so you don't have to deal with pain during the march.
DAY OF PARADE- Suggested packing list: Cooling devices to wear during the parade, band-aids/moleskin for blister prevention, something to eat and drink, picnic blankets or camp chairs, hand sanitizer, etc.
- Get some good sleep the night before the parade, and don't overexert yourself the day of the parade.
- Drink plenty of water all day long to make sure you are hydrated.
- Pre-parade is a great time to mingle with SWO members, spotters, and friends! Show up early and make a day of it!
- Plan your arrival at the staging area. Streets get closed off, so you may want to plan multiple routes/parking areas as fallbacks if you can't reach your preferred spot. Consider ridesharing or mass transit.
- Parking in the lot is not free. Expect to pay $7-$20 for the day. (Exact cost is not known at this time.)
- Eat something light before marching. It'll be awhile before you're able to eat again.
- Empty your bladder before marching. It'll be awhile before you're able to pee again.
- We will take a series of group photos before we start marching. More details will be posted a few days before the parade. We would really appreciate help from spotters with crowd control.
MARCHING IN THE PARADE- Keep the crowds away from our costumers when marching. Parade organizers prohibit any direct contact between us and the crowd.
- Along those lines, resist the urge to high-five the kids. If a kid up the street sees us high-fiving, they'll walk into the street, and things bog down.
- When the parade stops (which it usually does often for MAX and buses), people may come out to take pics. One of your duties is to dissuade them, but we might get diehards who are bound and determined to get pics with us. Don't encourage or welcome this behavior.
- Keep a close eye on the costumers in your zone. The weather shouldn't be unbearable warm this year, but it's sitll important for you to notice and recognize when our folks might be overheating. If necessary, be prepared to help a costumer exit the parade route and rest/remove their helmet.
- Be courteous to the crowd, but hold strong about keeping them from interacting directly with our costumers.
- The parade is long and you will get hot so don't overdo it. Keep steady pace.
- The live TV section you'll notice camera operators and/or news reporters who may approach us as we're marching. Just keep moving with the group. Do not acknowledge the cameras in any way. As spotters, you should disappear into the surroundings as much as possible.
- The parade does not end where we start. We will need to walk back after the parade route ends to get back to our staging area. Costumers might remove helmets and other costume pieces for the walk back; your assistance carrying items like this might be requested.
ENTRY AND LINE-UP INFORMATION - All parade entries line-up in the formation area according to the map below.
- We are entry #TBD.
- Enter the formation area on NW Everett.
- At 5pm Burnside closes
- Be sure to plan on arriving early because the area becomes very congested as other participants and spectators arrive.
TIMING This is as set as it's going to be until any last-minute changes on event day.
Noon: Suggested arrival time if you want to get to the parking lot before they start closing roads.
1:00pm: Staging area roads likely to close.
4:00pm: Parade orientation hosted by our fearless leaders -
ALL MARCHERS AND SPOTTERS MUST BE PRESENT5:00pm: Parade route roads to close.
5:00pm: We'll start getting into costume to be ready and present at the formation area no later than 6:00pm. Once in the formation area we MUST stay on the sidewalk of our assigned block. Our formation block is at SW Harvey Milk and 1st Street.
6:00pm: Group photos in our staging area - Please help us with crowd control!
7:30pm: Parade scheduled to start
7:30pm-8:15pm: We start marching - This is an estimate
DISBAND INFO - The parade disbands at SW 14th and SW Taylor. There will be police and parade officials in the disband area to assist.
- No vehicles are allowed to park on SW 14th or SW Taylor. Vehicles parked on these streets will be towed at owner expense.
MAPS:NEW ROUTE!
PARKING PRE-PARADE: - We will announce that day which level (probably up high with less traffic, but we will be parking at the Smart park between 3rd and 4th and Alder and Morrison (see map below). Worst case if the weather is bad and/or no other places to hang out much we can set up our camp chairs and hang out under cover in the Smart Park. We will announce other options as the event gets closer.
NEAREST TO DISBAND AREA: PARKING 
