Animals: Please be kind to others in the parade. If you have any type of animal as part of your unit, make sure to bring water for them and clean up behind them in the lineup area, on the parade route, and at the end of the parade route. This is greatly appreciated by all other Parade Units following yours, the Waukegan Park District, and the City of Waukegan. A Clean-up waste person is required by the unit group on the day of the event and no waste shall be left on city, park district or parade route neighboring properties. Other items will be outlined in a follow-up letter.

The term Unit represents all individuals participating on behalf of the organization/group identified on the application. The Applicant is the individual responsible for the Unit, who is completing the Application and Agreement on the Unit’s behalf.

Applicant agrees to communicate the Waukegan Park District Independence Parade Terms and Conditions to all participants in their Unit. Applicant hereby warrants that all participants within the Applicant’s Unit agree to abide by the terms and conditions listed herein, as well as by all City and Park District ordinances, any health department codes, or any other local, state, and federal laws, rules, or regulations that may apply. Failure to comply with any law, rule, or regulation may result in loss of fees paid, entry being denied this year, and possibly any future years, at the sole discretion of the District. The Applicant shall accept full responsibility for adherence to the items listed herein by all participants of the Applicant’s Unit.

The District is not responsible for any costs incurred by any Unit in preparation for their parade participation.

Units agree to check into staging between 11am and 12pm (noon) at appropriate check in station.

Cancelation Terms and Payment
The District or the Unit reserves the right to cancel this Agreement for any reason. Notice shall be given as soon as reasonably possible to the other party.
Units who paid a fee will NOT be refunded for any reason.
Units receiving payment for service will be paid using the following criteria:
No payment if the Unit cancels or does not check into staging.
If District cancels:
No Payment if cancellation occurs 24-hours prior to the scheduled 1:00pm parade step off., prior to the Saturday prior to parade.
Fifty percent (50%) payment, if cancellation occurs between 1:00pm Saturday and the scheduled staging end time of 12:00p, day of parade. . Full payment if cancellation occurs after 12:00pm on Sunday, day of parade and the Unit checked into staging.
No Payment if cancellation occurs after 12:00pm on Sunday, day of parade and the Unit did not check into staging.
No payment if the Unit causes a breach of contract due to any non-compliance with Terms and Conditions, laws, rules, regulations, or any other requirements set forth in this Agreement.
No payment if the Unit is removed or denied entry by the District, as set forth in this Agreement.


Insurance and Financial Responsibility

The following describes the insurance coverage required for each Unit and the financial responsibility assumed by each unit.

Units receiving payment for their services are required to provide a Certificate of Insurance showing the required insurance lines of coverage and naming the Waukegan Park District and the City of Waukegan as Additional Insured. The certificate holder shall be listed as Waukegan Park District, 1324 Golf Rd., Waukegan, IL 60087. Units being paid must also provide a W-9 to receive payment and submit an invoice.

The absence of a requirement, lack of or deficiencies in insurance coverage shall not be construed as a waiver of the Unit’s obligation to financial responsibility for any claims, damages, losses, and expenses, including, but not limited to, legal fees, arising out of or resulting from the unit’s activities as described in Indemnification and Hold Harmless. The District will not in any way defend the Unit in matters of liability.

General Liability Coverage – for all
Minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate; GL shall extend to volunteers when applicable. GL shall include Carriage insurance when applicable.

Worker’s Compensation Coverage – for Units who have employees such that the state requires insurance; may be exempt if the only employees are the owner or the owner’s immediate family members.

Auto Coverage – for Units who wish to bring automobiles. Proof of coverage from paid units is required for such vehicles as RVs, CDL vehicles, trailers, etc., with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per accident.

Indemnification and Hold Harmless

I, the undersigned, as an authorized person, officer, or director of the group/organization/person applying to be a Unit in the Waukegan Park District’s American Independence Parade, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall indemnify and hold harmless the Waukegan Park District and the City of Waukegan, including each of their officers, officials, employees, volunteers, and agents, (hereafter called Parties) from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, and expenses, including but not limited to legal fees, arising out of or resulting from the Unit’s activities in preparation for, during, and after the Parade, regardless of negligence, and regardless of whether or not it is caused in part by the Parties indemnified hereunder. Such obligation shall not be constructed to negate, abridge, or otherwise reduce any other right or obligation of indemnity, which would otherwise exist as to any party or person described in this paragraph.

I certify that the Unit possesses adequate financial responsibility so as to indemnify the named Parties and assume all expenses that may arise from any third-party claim. Further, as the authorized representative I hereby waive any and all claims that the Unit or its participants may have against the Parties as a result of or relating to the Waukegan Park District Parade. Parties are not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged property of Unit or caused by Unit.

I hereby warrant and represent that I have read and understand the Parade Terms and Conditions, and this Agreement; including the Insurance and Financial Responsibility and Indemnification and Hold Harmless. I hereby warrant and represent that I am duly authorized to bind the Unit represented by this application.

Agreement Enforcement and Entirety
This Agreement shall be interpreted, enforced, and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois. Venue for any litigation hereunder shall be in Lake County, Illinois; and should diversity jurisdiction apply, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division. By signing this agreement, Applicant and Unit expressly consent to personal jurisdiction in the State of Illinois. This paragraph will survive the termination of this Agreement.

This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Applicant and Unit and the District pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous agreements and understandings either oral or written. No modifications of this Agreement shall be effective unless made in writing and signed by both the Applicant and the District. If ever there are conflicts between signed documents, this contract prevails.

Acknowledgment
As the Applicant, I acknowledge the following:
It is my responsibility to share and enforce with all Unit participants Parade Terms and Conditions, City and Park District ordinances, any health department codes, or any other Park District, local, state, and federal laws, rules, or regulations that may apply; and that I am responsible for paying any fines or costs that may result from such violation.
The District reserves the right to deny participation to Applicant and/or any Unit’s participants for any reason, at any time.
Unacceptable behavior of any Unit participant may affect the entire Unit’s continued participation in the parade.
Any lack or deficiencies in insurance coverage is not a waiver of the Unit’s obligation to financial responsibility.
The District is not responsible for assisting my Unit in the event of inclement weather or for deciding whether my Unit should take shelter or not.
Any increase in the number of participants or vehicles for your Unit, different than what was stated on the application and approved, may result in full or partial denied participation on parade day.
The application is completed truthfully.
Any violation of the above may result in denial or limited entry approval in the future.

• All forms and payments (if applicable) are due by Monday, June 2, 2025.
• Each organization/group must fill out an application, no joint applications are allowed. This application represents one Unit.
• It is each parade entry’s responsibility to have a foul weather contingency plan in place. Note severe weather shelter options on the route map.
• The unit coordinator shall be responsible for the conduct of all participants in their group and agrees to inform ALL participants of these terms and conditions.
• Waukegan Park District staff reserve the right to demand a float be modified or removed for any reason; units must comply with the request or entry may be denied. No reason needs to be provided for a unit modification demand from the District.
• No alcohol or glassware is allowed in the parade. Plastic bottles or cans of nonalcoholic beverages are permitted but must be properly disposed of.
• Units must NOT play loud/blaring music until step off. Vulgar lyrics will NOT be tolerated at any time and may result in entry being denied. Music sound levels need to be at a level such that they do not impede another group. We space groups out accordingly.
• Any injuries to participants in your Unit or damage to property along the parade route caused directly or indirectly by your Unit participants should be reported to a Park District employee as soon as possible.
• We ask that all groups refrain from using megaphones (unless approved by the parade coordinator). Sound levels need to be kept so that they do not impede another group. We space groups out accordingly.
• The lineup begins at 11 am. Units must be ready to go by 12 pm in the event an early step-off is needed.
• If the Unit arrives after 12 pm, the assigned lineup position may change, or entry may be denied; if the Unit arrives after the parade has stepped off entry may be denied.
• The number of participants and vehicles declared on the application by the unit coordinator is the maximum allowed on the day of the parade. Any additions must be approved prior to parade day. If over the maximum allowed on parade day, the Unit will be asked to adjust their numbers; a refusal may result in entry being denied.
• Parade entries must line up in the space they have been assigned and not use other space not assigned to them.
• All Units must display their unit number, on the front left of the vehicle (first vehicle if multiple vehicles), float, or a person in the parade.
The scheduled Step Off is at 1 pm; Waukegan Park District has the right to start the parade any time after 12 pm if weather or other situation warrants it.
• All units must maintain forward motion. Stopping or reversing motion is not allowed. Participants should not stop unless the entire parade has stopped. Do not create large gaps in spacing between units.
• Candy and other items being passed out must be HANDED to the crowd at the curb. No throwing or launching of items from a float or further than 5 feet from the street curb is permitted. Please hand-distribute candy or other items by walking along the parade route next to the spectators. Throwing or launching of items may result in removal from the parade and/or prohibition of handing out items.
• Participants may not stand on or in vehicles. If standing on floats, they must do so safely, at their own risk. Hanging off the side or edge of any moving vehicle or float is not allowed.
Unit is responsible for any clean up, including animal clean up, associated with their float activities. The Unit will be notified and required to clean up post-event if they do not comply as they are participating.
• If you have any type of animal as part of your unit, make sure to bring water for them and immediately clean up behind them in the lineup area, on the parade route, and at the end of the parade route.
•Units must consent to all city and park ordinances and are responsible for any fines or costs that may result. http://waukeganparks.org/regulating-ordinances
• All performances must take place while moving forward.
• Units must not disband until after turning in their number just past Jack Benny Drive.
Units must comply with all federal and state laws.
Parade Units that receive payment for service understand the Cancelation and Terms of Payment as stated in the Parade Unit Participation Agreement.
• No refunds will be given to groups required to pay a fee to participate after submission of application.
• Waukegan Park District reserves the right to remove and/or deny current or future year entry to any unit and/or any participant from the parade at any time for any reason, including, but not limited to, noncompliance with the terms and conditions listed above. A removal or entry denial is made at the sole discretion of the District. If a unit is unwilling to comply with a removal or denial decision made the day of the event, law enforcement will be called to assist.