How to Decorate a Tractor for a Parade

Not all float designs are appropriate for certain parades.

Community parades remain a highlight of many local festivals and celebrations across the country, often relying on volunteers and residents to make the spectacle a success. One of the things to remember if you're considering participating in one of these parades (or if your friends and family have kindly volunteered you for the job) is the importance of tasteful and appropriate float decoration. If you have entered your tractor in the parade, follow a few steps to ensure a successful and noteworthy float design.

Things You'll Need

• Wheeled platform or hay cart
• Float design materials and themed props
• Hammer and nails
• Reliable adhesives

Instructions

1. Find out why your community is sponsoring the parade, and use this information to help you determine the theme, style, and presentation of your tractor design. A float decorated for a Memorial Day parade will be more subtle than one decked out for a Halloween parade.

2. Pick a dollar amount as to how much money you're willing to spend, and create a strict budget. If it's just a small parade for your local village, spending more than $100 is probably overkill. However, if you're going to be pulling the mayor around for a bicentennial celebration, you may be willing to spend a little more.

3. Find a platform or hay cart to pull, which will give you a lot more freedom when it comes to float design. Including just the tractor in the parade may also be preferable in some circumstances, such as for farmers or harvest day parades.

4. Plan your theme and design, taking into account the logistics of your tractor (and cart, if applicable) and the purpose of the parade. Drawing out any designs ahead of time and trying to visualize exactly what your tractor will look like can really help. Also, look for examples from past parades to see what parade-goers expect and to how you can innovate on what's already been done.

5. Purchase your parade supplies. Just a standard craft store can provide many of the supplies that you're looking for, including colored paper, confetti, and larger props. There are also a number of parade-float websites that offer supplies specifically designed for decorating floats.

6. Start building your float. Asking family members and friends to help out will shorten this process. Remember to make sure that signs, decorations, and props are large enough for parade viewers to easily see. Also consider some high-tech touches that can make your float stand out, such as a sound system to pump out themed music or sound effects.

7. Ask family members and friends to ride on the tractor or in the cart as part of your design. Live actors for themed parades or friendly faces there to smile and wave will contribute to the overall effectiveness of your design.

8. Participate in the parade. Be sure to take plenty of pictures so you can remember the experience and your tractor decorations for years to come.

Tips & Warnings

• If you do decide to have actors or family members ride along during the parade, consider asking them to hand out candy to parade viewers, as this will only add to the excitement of your float.

• Ask parade organizers for any rules that may apply for parade floats. The last thing you want is to spend time and money decorating your tractor, only to discover that you can't participate in the parade.

• Secure all decorations and test out your fully designed tractor before the actual parade to avoid having decorations topple or malfunction during the celebration.

• Make sure that any passengers on your tractor or float are also secure, and drive very slowly during the parade to ensure the safety of participants and spectators.

References

• Top Parade Events USA
• Fiesta Parad Floats
• School Spirit Float Materials