How to Make a Pirate Parade Float

Don't forget the costumes for your scurvy dogs.

Parades are still one of the most popular of all community activities. Whether it is for a holiday, a team victory or a local cultural event, parades can still draw sizable crowds. Often communities will engage in competitions to see who can make the most impressive parade float. One interesting type of float you can create, especially if you live in a maritime community, is a pirate-themed float. The process of creating this type of float is not difficult, but it will require a great deal of organization and planning.

Things You'll Need

• Wood
• Hammers
• Nails
• Props
• Cardboard tubes
• Paper
• Ships wheel
• Costumes

Instructions

1. Sketch out on paper your ideas for your pirate parade float. Make sure the final ideas you select can actually be accomplished with the time, materials and manpower you have available. For example, if costumes are needed it will probably be best to either rent them or to adapt existing clothes to make them look like pirate outfits.

2. Gather a quantity of cheap or recycled wood. Use it to construct a “ship” for your pirates on top of the trailer. If the trailer will be too small for this, construct a small bridge instead. Include railings on the side, as well as brass fittings. Make sure that you don't overload the trailer.

3. Add any pirate-like props that you can think of or have at hand, such as wooden buckets and mops for swabbing deck or swords and knives (fake ones). Don't forget to buy fake beards and long wigs for the crew.

4. Create papier-mâché canons for your pirate vessel, building the papier-mâché up around large cardboard tubes. Then paint them with black enamel. Mount them under the railings. As a final touch, add a wooden ships wheel behind which your pirate captain can stand.

References

• Parade Floats: Create a Pirate Ship Float and Sail into School Spirit