Parade Safety

Parade Safety Tips

1. Stake out your viewing spot early, preferably somewhere fairly close to the starting point. After you view the final marchers and floats, leave the parade area. Most problems arise when people linger in the area after the parade is over.

2. Make sure children stay behind the barricades. They’re there for everyone’s safety.

3. Secure handbags and wallets.

4. Sometimes candy and trinkets are thrown from the floats. Be sure children don’t run out into harm’s way to pick them up. Also, examine candy before the children are allowed to eat it.

5. Prepare for the weather. In the summer, wear a brimmed hat, use sunscreen and carry a bottle of water. Remember, parade watching is pretty much a passive activity, so bundle up on cold days – and don’t forget the warm shoes and gloves.

6. Some New York parades draw in excess of two million people. Establish a family meeting place – a street corner or in front of a store – in case anyone gets lost.

7. Don’t bring pets. Fido won’t hold it against you if you leave him home.

8. At crowded events, there’s a lot of jostling going on. Stay cool, stay pleasant. Most New Yorkers will respond in kind.