2020 Gasparilla Parade:
Billy Hogan and Joe Dato are OICs
Additional Notes:
Disembarking from Floats at end of Parade
The parade ends as we turn left onto Cass Street from Ashley Street. This is typically a zone of chaos and confusion with people trying to get off floats while TPD urges and orders the floats to keep moving. To facilitate a rapid unloading of the Rough Rider floats, we will force our floats to slow to a crawl beginning at Curtis Hixon Park. We will attempt some ”mini-stops” beginning at Curtis Hixon Park that will enable you to safely disembark. We encourage members to safely disembark the floats between Curtis Hixon Park and Cass Street so there are minimum persons on board as we turn onto Cass Street. If you are still on the floats as we turn onto Cass Street you may be stuck on the floats until we reach the official disembarkation point on the west side of the Hillsborough River. Plan ahead for disembarking the floats!
Stragglers on Bayshore Blvd
YMKG requires all members of every organization to stay with their parade units. For our members safety we attempt to keep all members together for as much of the parade as possible. As we move along Bayshore many members stop to visit friends along the crowd-control railings and unwittingly fall behind. As always, our Safety and Security Team will urge those members to move along and to keep up with our floats. With 577 club members (and probably close to 500 attending the parade) it is impossible for Safety and Security to chase down every member that falls behind every time they do so. If you fall behind the Rough Riders floats you do so at your own risk. We will make at least 2 attempts to get you to move along. After that we will take down your member number for accountability and wish you a safe afternoon.
1. Riding from the Clubhouse to the Staging Area
Based on our insurance policy we may only have people on the actual floats while they are in staging and on the parade route. The only transportation to the staging area we have available are the cabs of the tow vehicles and the Trolley. Therefore we must restrict those who are able to accompany the floats from the clubhouse to staging in the cabs and in the Trolley as follows:
- Drivers
- OIC s
- Music Committee DJs
- Fleet Maintenance Committee response team
- Parade Operations Committee with FNG work crew
No other Rough Riders will be allowed to ride the vehicles to staging from the clubhouse. Please make your own arrangements to get yourselves to staging.
We appreciate your cooperation
2. The cab of the train, forward of the newly installed Yellow Barrier is for the driver, the Fleet Maintenance mechanic and the Parade Operations leader. This is to minimize distraction and confusion for the driver and to enhance parade safety.
3. The ramp on the new Little Texas Float is NOT an area for riding. Use the ramp to embark and disembark, but it is not a place to stand and throw beads.
4. Please do not hang bead bags on the side of the TR float or the side of the Little Texas Float. This measure is to protect the expensive vehicle wraps.
Final 2020 GASPARILLA PLAN OF THE DAY.pdf
