Homestead Festival

We are looking forward to seeing you in the Homestead Festival Parade on September 7^th in Princeton, IL.  To maximize the quality of the experience for you and the several thousand of people who will watch the parade, please respect these simple rules:

• Check-in will be done by sending a text message to 815-303-2187 with your entry name once you arrive at your check-in location. Your specific parade line-up location will be provided via email by September 1^st.  There will not be flags or anything noted in the yards this year – you should line up at your location as identified on the map you receive the week prior to the parade.
• To keep the parade moving in a timely manner, every entry should maintain a safe distance from the entry in front of them. To avoid any delays, all entries must maintain a distance of no more than three (3) car lengths away from the preceding entry.
• Entries should not stop during the parade – entries must always maintain movement.
• For the safety of the large number of small children along the route please take care and take caution when distributing candy and other items during the parade. Especially items thrown from a float or vehicle.  Candy must be thrown on the ground near viewers in parade route.
• Please DO NOT consume alcoholic beverages along the parade route. City of Princeton law prohibits public possession of alcohol.
• Please DO NOT allow riders to board a truck or float after it has moved from your line-up position. DO NOT stop at Marquette and Main or any other location on the route to load riders. This is dangerous and disrupts the flow of the parade.
• Please DO NOT park any vehicle on private property.
• If your entry has animals, you are responsible to clean up after them.
• Please DO NOT stop to dismantle your unit at the end of the parade until you have reached Pleasant Street.

Parade float judging will begin promptly at 11:30 a.m.  Please be in your spot on the line-up route by 11:30 a.m. if you want to be considered for judging.  The following awards are available:

• The Owen Lovejoy Memorial Trophy (two awards: Commercial and Non-Commercial)
• Most Humorous Entry (two awards: Commercial and Non-Commercial)
• The Mayor’s Trophy (two awards: Commercial and Non-Commercial)
• The Grand Marshal’s Trophy (two awards: Commercial and Non-Commercial)
• Church/Religious Organizations (one award: Non-Commercial)

If you are selected for an award, you will be notified with an award poster to place on your float before the parade starts.  You will also be asked to stop in front of the announcer’s booth on South Main Street for a quick photo with the Homestead Committee and to receive your plaque.

The Homestead Committee invites all Marching Bands to be a part of the Annual Homestead Festival Parade. We hope you will join us as we endeavor to celebrate the performing arts!

All bands must be registered by August 4th. You can register here. 

Important Information:

• All bands will be in the first half of the parade to ensure they can make it to the award/food ceremony close to the same time and to avoid overheating in band uniforms.
• Bureau County Bands will alternate as leaders every year: Princeton High School (2022), Bureau Valley High School (2023), and Hall High School (2024).
• A donation will be made to each participating school to show our appreciation to the schools for making the trip and being a part of the parade. Checks will be handed to the band directors on the day of the parade. Donations are based on band size as outlined below:
  • 25 – 49 members $ 300.00
  • 50 – 74 members 500.00
  • 75 – 99 members 750.00
  • 100 + members 1,000.00

Information for the Day of the Parade:

• Buses can drop off participants at Rotary Park. All bands will wait at Rotary Park for the parade to start.
• Once buses drop off participants, they can make their way down to Midland States Bank. Buses can park there and wait for band members to finish the parade.

Band Judging and Awards:

• Trophies will be awarded to the marching bands based on musical performance, precision, and crowd appeal.
• Judging will take place as the marching bands pass through the announcer’s booth on South Main Street. In the past, the committee has asked for bands to stop and perform in front of the booth; however, in order to keep the parade moving steadily bands should play throughout the parade route and past the announcer’s booth (no stops to perform).
• When the marching bands get to the end of the parade route, continue straight to the Midland States Bank Parking Lot.  At the Parking Lot, the Princeton Rotary Club will be serving hotdogs and a drink to all band participants.  Once all marching bands complete the parade, awards will be given. While bands are waiting for awards, they are welcome to load up all their equipment on the bus and hang out at the ballpark.
• Awards will be given for 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place in categories based on band size.