Clarkston Holiday Lights Parade
The 2024 Clarkston Holiday Lights Parade
Theme: Innovate and Illuminate!
Build your floats with an Innovation and Illumination theme! Bring the magic of INNOVATION to Clarkston!
What is the Holiday Lights Parade?
The Clarkston Holiday Lights Parade is an annual winter parade (since 2001) that Team RUSH organizes for our community. We invite community members, organizations, clubs, and businesses to build a float each year with plenty of lights to help us spread the message of STEM!
Entries are encouraged to make their float themed to the current year. 2024 is Innovate & Illuminate so we expect to see a lot of moving parts and LOTS of LIGHTS!
See below for the schedule and registration information for this year!
Also check out the winners below from 2023!
STAGING & PARADE START LOCATION
Renaissance High School (RHS)/Community Education Building at 6558 Waldon Rd, Clarkston, MI, 48348.
4:00 PM FLOATS, TRAILERS, VEHICLES ARRIVE
Vehicles in the parade (floats, decorated cars & trucks etc.) enter the RHS parking lot from Cherry Lawn Ave, checking in with a volunteer before proceeding into the parking lot. Upon arrival you will be provided a parade position. Only vehicles in the parade will be allowed to enter the RHS parking lot. See "Riders & Walkers Arrive" below for other vehicles. 4:30 PM RIDERS & WALKERS ARRIVE.
All parking for non-parade vehicles is across the street at Clarkston Elementary and Clarkston Junior High School. If your group has walkers, please pre-arrange for transportation back to your vehicles from the parade end at Calvary Church (6805 Bluegrass Dr).
THE WARMING ROOM
RHS will be open for restrooms and warming up! After the parade, Calvary Lutheran Church WILL have cookies and hot chocolate!
4:45 – 5:25 PM FLOAT JUDGING
Floats will be judged based on what judges see when they are at your float between 4:45-5:25 PM. Time constraints do not allow judges to wait for others in your group to arrive or float/entry to be finished. We recommend that you be at your float entry at 4:45pm and wait there until the judges pass.
Three CASH prizes are given out:
Clarkston Pride Award - a $100 judged award to the Clarkston Schools program which best exemplifies the Pride of the Pack
Most Creative STEM Float Award - a $250 judged award that best exemplifies the use of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) within the construct of the parade float and the Theme.
Best Overall Parade Entry - a $250 judged award that the judges just cannot stop talking about - it is the BEST OVERALL Entry!
6:00 PM PARADE BEGINS
IMPORTANT ITEMS
1) Entries should keep moving. Please do not stop along the parade route.
2) You may NOT throw candy in this parade. This is a dark venue and it is unsafe for children to rush out into the street to collect candy. You MAY walk and hand out candy or other items.
3) You may NOT have a Santa or Mrs. Claus as part of your entry. Mr. & Mrs. Claus are at the tail end of our parade!
4) Floats will NOT be able to park at Calvary Church, but will be moved through the church lot to prepare for the Tree Lighting Festivities. You will have 10 minutes to break down and transport your float out.
5) Prearrange transportation back to your vehicle from end of parade route.ute.
6) No open flames allowed on floats or with entries at any time during the parade
ENTRIES WITH HORSES - SPECIAL PARKING & UNLOADING INSTRUCTIONS
Enter on Cherry Lawn Ave, proceed to Church Street and park your trailers on Church Street—be sure you are parked BEFORE the parade gate, please do not go past the parade gate. (That would create a pinch point that might obstruct floats' progress). You must clean up after your horses by providing your own Pooper Scoopers for the parade. Do not use trash bins for horse waste disposal
PARADE ROUTE
1) Exit the RHS Parking Lot onto Church Street through the Parade Gate.
2) Proceed to Main Street—turning RIGHT on Main Street.
3) The DJ Reviewing stand, will be in front of Picasso's. Proceed to Miller Road and turn LEFT.
4) Proceed to Glenburnie Road and turn RIGHT
5) Proceed to Snowflake and turn right - please then turn right again, pulling all the way into Calvary Lutheran Church parking lot, so the rest of the floats can enter the parking lot.
5) The Parade officially ends at this location - Calvary Lutheran Church.
2024 Parade Award Winners:
Best Use of Theme – Sponsored by The Union Joints
The Oakland County Sportsman Club
Best Holiday Spirit – Sponsored by Genisys Credit Union
The Clarkston Family Farm
Best Use of Lights/Music – Sponsored by Techmode GO
The Clarkston Community Schools Transportation (7)
Best Overall Parade Entry - Sponsored by Team RUSH ($250)
The Girl Scouts Snow-tacular, Clarkston Area Girl Scout Troops
Most Creative STEM Float – Sponsored by David W Elliott Memorial Foundation ($250)
The Camp Klondike a cub scout adventure, Pack 163
Clarkston School Pride (Must be a School’s Organization) – Sponsored by The Clarkston News ($100)
The Clarkston Varsity Dance Team & the Clarkston Dance Prep Team