Set Up Guide

Holiday Parade Sponsorship Program

Program Overview: Holiday parades are signature downtown events—bringing families together, showcasing community spirit, and driving foot traffic for local businesses. Yet the costs of staging, floats, lighting, entertainment, and security often stretch beyond municipal budgets. A Holiday Parade Sponsorship Program creates a sustainable way to cover these expenses. By engaging businesses, civic groups, and families as sponsors, you generate reliable funding while providing them with prominent visibility during one of the community’s most celebrated seasonal traditions. For administrators, this approach not only secures essential resources but also builds lasting partnerships with the business community.

Set Up Guide for a Holiday Parade Sponsorship Program

1. Create Your Sponsorship Options

Before you can start getting sponsors, you’ll need to determine a few key details that will guide their participation and make it easy for them to get involved.

Determine Sponsorship Options: You could offer presenting sponsor rights for a single business as well as offer sponsorships for individual floats
Add Photos to Get Sponsors Excited: Use photos of floats, banners, and signage from previous parades to help sponsors visualize their impact.
Highlight Sponsor Visibility: Show where sponsor logos and names will appear—on floats, route signage, parade programs, and digital promotions.
Set Sponsorship Cost: Price based on visibility and exclusivity. For example, a presenting sponsor might contribute $5,000, while float sponsorships are $500 each.

Ideas for
Sponsorship Benefits

Banner Placement on Parade Route: Visibility in front of thousands of attendees.
Logo on Floats or Units: Direct recognition on sponsored entries.
Announcements During Parade: Sponsors mentioned by emcee or announcers.
Digital & Print Recognition: Listing in event programs, city websites, and social media.
VIP Access: Premium sponsors may receive reserved seating or invitations to a pre-parade reception.

2. Provide Easy Ways for Sponsors to Participate

Once you’ve outlined the details, make it simple for sponsors to participate. Sponsors are more likely to commit when the process is simple and professional.

Provide a Digital Sponsorship Packet: Outline parade sponsorship levels, costs, and recognition opportunities in a professional format.
Collect Sponsor Information: Gather logos, contact details, and float preferences in one step.
Offer Easy Payment Methods: Accept sponsor payments online, or allow manual payments for those who prefer checks.

Did You Know?

Holiday parades are often the largest single-day event in a downtown, making them one of the highest-value sponsorship opportunities of the year.

3. Stay on Top of the Details

Holiday parades involve multiple sponsors, floats, and recognition commitments. Organization is critical for success.

Track Sponsorship Commitments: Record which sponsors are attached to which movie nights or sponsorship package.
Monitor Payments: Confirm funds are received before the parade date.
Organize Sponsor Materials: Store logos, slides, and banners in one place to avoid last-minute issues.
Thank Your Sponsors: Recognize contributors during the parade and follow up afterward to encourage continual support.