Join us in the 4th of July Parade!


04jul

If you wish to join ABG’s entry into the 2016 Alameda 4th of July Parade, please read on. We will be dressed as pollinators and riding bikes (bring helmets and water):

1) ABG’s Number this year: 91 (out of 156). For those who didn’t know or don’t remember, we’ve been 124, 119 and 114, moving up a little each year. 91 is quite a jump forward in the parade order, so we should be pretty happy. It also means we’ll be moving sooner, so don’t be a late-comer if you can help it.

2) Which brings us to this next eye-opener: they want everybody to be near their assigned spot on Lincoln Ave. by 8:30 AM. We have scheduled our Tailgate Breakfast for 9 AM, so if you are bringing something to share, please note the change in time. I’ll be bringing coffee and tea and should be there by 8:30 AM in any case, so at least there will be something hot to drink to start with if it takes a while for folks to arrive.

3) It’s supposed to be about 60 degrees and partly cloudy by 8:30 AM on Monday morning; make sure you’ve got something to keep you warm while standing around. As most of us know, we work up a sweat while parading, so the slight chill won’t be a problem when we start to move and want to strut our costumes (or ABG T-shirts).

4) The Judges’ Stand has moved! It’s no longer on Park Street at all. It’s going to be on Otis Drive somewhere in the vicinity of South Shore Shopping Center (which has now become a partner with the parade committee). This will allow more room on Park Street for parade-viewers who want to set up their chairs in that area; it’ll also mean that groups will have to keep up their “A Game” well after Park Street, which should be more fun for the folks on Otis Drive.
5) There will no longer be a Review Stand on Webster Street calling out participants’ names and descriptions. So as with Park Street, this’ll give more room for viewers to comfortably set up near the finish line.

6) Channel 4, KRON, will be covering the parade. We were told “Look sharp! Bring your A Game!” I think we can all agree that Alameda has been long overdue for this sort of attention. Let’s show the rest of the Bay Area that WE’RE Alameda and THEY aren’t.

7) If you haven’t read or heard it yet, the Grand Marshall this year is Jim Sweeney. A brilliant choice and such a deserving fellow!

8) If you have to drop out somewhere along the parade route, you can do that. But we were advised that joining the parade along the way is not supposed to be allowed.

9) Non-emergency Alameda Police number during the parade is (510) 337-8340.

10) Hey, you bike riders! Helmet regulations will be enforced by the APD.

If you don’t want to wear a costume, we suggest this attire:

  • ABG/Project PICK T-shirt or plain green T-shirt
  • Pants or shorts with a back pocket
  • A pair of gardening gloves to tuck into that back pocket
  • Gardening hat or Cowboy / Cowgirl hat

Make sure you bring water, comfortable shoes, sunscreen and sunglasses! 

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