Have the urge to carry giant helium balloons Uptown? Here’s your chance

News Capsule

The Novant Health Thanksgiving Day Parade kicks off at 9:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day (November 26). NASCAR legend Richard Petty is the grand marshal and this year’s parade will feature seven high school marching bands, 12 balloons, 21 floats and 7 “segwalloons.” The parade travels along Tryon Street through Uptown Charlotte.

Invitation

The Novant Health Thanksgiving Day Parade staff invites you to become a volunteer in the parade. It takes 1,000 volunteers to produce the parade, which is enjoyed by more than 100,000 on-site spectators and a large live TV viewing audience. Reserve your spot as a volunteer.

Why volunteer?

• Special access to the Novant Health Thanksgiving Day Parade.
• Branded jacket and commemorative pin.
• Volunteer appreciation event (date TBD).
• Give back to the community and have fun!

Specfic volunteer opportunities

• Balloon handlers. Help over-sized characters make their way down the parade route, while smiling and waving at the crowd. (November 26 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Charlotte Convention Center)
• Banner carriers. Join others as you proudly carry unit and partner banners up the route. You may walk between one and three miles on the day of the event. (November 26 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Charlotte Convention Center)
• Costume walkers. Proudly wear a costume, wave and dance up the route. (November 26 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Crown Ballroom)
• Set-up and disband helpers. Disband areas ensuring taht units maintain forward motion and keep the performance area from backing up. (November 25, 2015 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. – location TBD or November 26 from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. – 9th Street & N. Tryon Street)
• Marshals. Stationed at every block to maintain the speed and spacing of units to achieve perfect parade timing. (November 26 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. – S. Tryon Street & Levine Avenue of the Arts)

• Staging helpers. Check in units and direct them to their staging area, then get ready to monitor, direct and usher participants into the line-up, controlling the flow of the parade. (November 26 from 6 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – Tryon Street & Stonewall Street)
• Got a group? Your entire team can volunteer together (cool idea). 

Agenda’s take (Ted)

I remember watching this parade on social media and snippets from TV last year because I was fascinated to see if this was the real deal or not. I loved it. Sure, it’s not the Macy’s Day Parade, but it’s authentic and oddly satisfying. Love seeing this happen in our city. Get excited about this “May 20th Society Fife & Drum Corps Segwalloon.”