Green Bay Holiday Parade
Saturday, November 23
Come dance with us! The Green Bay Holiday Parade is an annual tradition at the Power of Dance and ALL POD DANCERS are invited to participate. The 2024 parade will be held the morning of Saturday, November 23 in downtown Green Bay.
Who can participate?
- Dancers ages 5 and up can dance our parade routine to holiday music played by a local radio station. Dancers will learn a simple parade routine in their regular classes or team practice. Ages 5-6 can either dance or wave streamers (see below). Ages 7+ should dance. Dancers may dance with or without poms (studio practice poms can be used)
- Dancers ages 3-4 (and those ages 5-6 who do not wish to dance) are invited to wave holiday streamers and either march or ride on our holiday float! NEW THIS YEAR – Parents of young dancers are not required to walk with us. Parents of preschoolers MAY walk with the studio if they wish, but will need to wear the same “dress code” as dancers.
COST = FREE!! There is no cost unless your child needs a POD Logo Sweatshirt.
What do participants wear?
Parade rules state that everyone in our group must be dressed alike. All parade participants (dancers and any preschool parents walking with us) will wear:
- royal blue POD logo sweatshirt in good condition
- solid black pants (no stripes, lettering or embellishments)
- red Santa hat (any “standard” red Santa hat is fine)
- comfortable warm shoes or boots (in dark or neutral colors please)
If your child does not own a royal blue POD logo sweatshirt, please request to purchase one through the parade sign-up form. As sweatshirts have already been ordered for this year, they will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
How do dancers prepare?
A very easy short routine will be taught to the kids during the last few minutes of each performance class at least a month prior to the parade. This routine will then be reviewed often so that all dancers are comfortable.
Dancers NOT IN A PERFORMANCE CLASS should make plans with the front desk to learn the parade routine during another class. We will also posting the parade routine on this page so the kids can practice easily at home.
Once we find out the parade lineup, POD will notify all families what time & where to report downtown on the day of the parade. Please make sure we have a current email on file as this is the easiest way to get this information out to parents.
Parade Day Information
We are entry #15 and will be escorted by radio station Star 98. Parade participants should arrive at STAGING AREA #1 (on Jefferson, between Crooks and Stuart) at 9:00am. See below for more information about how to find us. Dancers riding in the float should arrive at 9:30am.
Please make sure that your dancer is dressed WARM! In addition to the required parade attire (above), they should be wearing:
- A stocking cap UNDER their Santa hat not only provides warmth, but will help the Santa hat stay on tight throughout the parade.
- LOTS of layers underneath that POD sweatshirt!
- Tights, leggings, and/or long underwear underneath their black pants.
- Two pairs of warm socks
- Boots rather than tennis shoes (neutral color preferred), and make sure your child doesn’t play in the snow or jump in puddles on the way to the parade! It’s no fun to walk in wet shoes and socks.
- Gloves and/or mittens for fingers and scarf for their neck – neutral or holiday colors please (red, white, black, or royal blue preferably to go with the outfit).
Dancers who will be doing the parade routine should bring their studio poms if they have them. If not, they can dance without poms as well!
Be cautious with hand and foot warmers – they can be uncomfortable and “too much” especially for younger children. Please be sure to read directions – foot warmers should never go directly on the feet, and are uncomfortable for marching. Toe warmers that can go on top of the sock are a better option if it’s a really cold day. The waiting is the hardest part – once we get marching, their muscles will keep them toasty warm!
Where do we go on parade day?
The Walnut Street Bridge will be closed after 7:30 am so please avoid this route. We recommend everyone enter the staging area via Mason Street. Free parking is located in all of the ramps (ramps close at 9:30am), city lots and nearby streets. For safety reasons, you will need to park and walk to the staging area. Please do not block driveways. Our staging area is on Jefferson Street between Crooks and Stuart Street, in the Hanaway/Ross Law parking lot. Look for our Power of Dance sweatshirts as you’re walking to the staging area. PLAN EXTRA TIME – YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PARK CLOSE!
Drop-Off Procedures
Dancers walking/dancing in the parade need to check in with POD staff by 9:00am! Please look for the signs that POD Staff will be holding – dancers check in according to the first letter of their last name. We will give each dancer a row number to remember for their spot in the lineup. Once everyone is checked in and lined up, we will practice the routine until the parade support crew tells us to go. Please listen to your instructors!
Students riding in the float should arrive at 9:30. They will check in by the float. Chaperones will stay nearby, follow the float in the parade, and then can take their dancer from the float once we reach the end of the parade route.
Parents of children in preschool through 4th grade, it is advised that you stay with us until the parade starts in case your child needs you (gets hurt, needs to run to the bathroom, etc). The wait before the parade is the hardest part. If it’s a really cold day, you may want to bring a blanket, extra layer, and/or hand warmers that you can take before we walk. Then when you are “excused” by POD staff, go grab a spot on the parade route to cheer us on as we go past!
Pick-Up Procedures
All dancers must go through the ‘check out’ process at the end of the parade. Please pick up your children promptly when WE are finished marching!! Do NOT wait until the parade is over, as we will be done marching way before that since we are so early in the lineup!
At the end of the parade route, POD will turn left onto Crooks and head to the ADRC parking lot. Once again, dancers/drivers need to go to the sign with the first letter of the dancer’s last name (even if they are going home with someone else). While this process takes a few minutes, it ensures every student is accounted for. Dancers may NOT leave without checking out, and may not check out until they are WITH a parent or guardian.
If your child is going home with another parent or you are allowing your older child to drive themselves home, please fill our the form below by Friday. Dancers who borrowed holiday ribbons or studio poms need to return them to POD staff at checkout.
Parade Day Events
Visit the Green Bay Holiday Parade website for more information about parade day events, including entertainment and visits with Santa after the parade.
Television Broadcast
The parade will not be televised live, but will be recorded, produced, and available to be viewed on WGBA on Sunday, December 15 at 11am, Wednesday, December 25 at 6am and on WACY on Tuesday, December 24 at 9pm.
An extended production of the parade will be available on YouTube.