Mine arrived this morning. It seems very heavy on pictures and light on content, but there are some great pictures.
Among the NAUCC pictures on p18, the caption to one of them has me wondering: Just how does a “parade competition” work?
I have been doing quite a lot of reading with it so far.
I think it is getting better each time.
Innes
I think that mine will take some days to arrive! Anyone far from UK subscribe it? Normally how long it takes to arrive?
it’s usually pretty quick when mike says it ships. It shipped basically for BUC 15, haven’t gotten mine yet, but i think my dad’s bringing it with him today. And i’ve pretty much allready read it at buc anyways.
yep, got mine a couple of days ago, same high standard as previous issues. Picture/content ratio is certainly higher than last time, but I quite like that, maybe I would feel different if i hadn’t been to unicon myself. Time to renew my subscription.
I think it looks cool. I like it!
In a best-case scenario, the unicyclists get to enter into a “real” parade. Real parades usually have a set of judges, and trophies or awards are given out in various categories such as marching band, float, or “other stuff” which is where the unicyclists usually fit in. Not sure if this judging thing is true in most countries but it’s very common in the US.
Most of the major US unicycle clubs do parades as an income-generating activity. Plus parades are like a rolling show, so they can be fun if what you do in the parade isn’t boring. Riding in a big formation of giraffes = boring (and painful), though it might look good and win trophies. I prefer being more entertaining to the crowd.
The judging criteria for parades can be found in the USA Rulebook:
http://unicyclingusa.org/competition/
Can’t wait to see Issue #6!
Other countries very rarely have parades (only one I’ve ever seen is Rosen Montag in Germany) and I very much doubt if they’re judged, they’re more about grabbing your own bodywieght in sweets.
From the February 2008 USA Competition Rules:
3.10 Parade Overview
The Parade competition is a optional event at a NAUCC [TAD Note: NAUCC = North American Unicycling Championships and Convention].
AGE GROUPS: None.
MINIMUM NUMBER OF RIDERS: Five. Each individual may enter only once.
UNICYCLES: Any type and any number.
MUSIC: Background music may be supplied. Groups wishing to play their own music must include it as part of their parade unit, with
a sound system, live band, etc. If a music vehicle is too large or heavy for the parade route, the local PA system may be used.
JUDGING METHOD: Similar to a regular parade, with judging criteria geared toward unicycle groups. Judges will watch the parade
from a reviewing area, but parade groups should perform at an equal level of quality throughout the entire parade route. The judging
criteria are divided into equal categories of: Choreography; Skill, Safety, and Size of Unit; Costuming and Equipment; Crowd
Connection.
3.10.1 Parade Environment
The goal is to simulate a real street parade, therefore a real parade should be used if possible. If this is not practical, a paved street
is recommended so that motorized parade vehicles can be accommodated. If a track must be utilized, this should be clearly
communicated to participants as far in advance as possible. If the parade is held on a street allowing motor vehicles, all parade
groups must be self-contained, including music. Competing parade groups must simulate actual parade conditions, giving a
presentation that would work in a real parade. Unicycles that are too tall, and vehicles that go slower than typical parade speed, are
examples of things that would not work in a real parade environment.
3.10.2 Parade Setup
The parade area will be marked with start and finish lines, and one or two more lines in between to indicate the reviewing area.
There must be a minimum of 100 meters between the start line and the start of the reviewing area, and 50 meters between the end
of the reviewing area and the finish line. Parade groups must be up and rolling before the start line, and perform until they have
crossed the finish line.
3.10.3 Parade Motion
Parade groups will follow one after the other, allowing a 5-10 meter gap between each other. Until they have to wait for units in
the reviewing area, groups must have a constant forward movement, as in a real parade. Part of the group may turn backward; but
while it does, another part, such as banner carriers, must continue the forward motion. When waiting to move forward, groups
must continue to entertain as judging takes place outside the reviewing area as well.
3.10.4 Reviewing Area
A Parade Marshal will coordinate groups’ entering and leaving of the reviewing area. Each group will be allowed up to one minute
to perform its best material in the reviewing area, but must move out when indicated by the Parade Marshal. When one group starts
moving out, the following group will start moving in.
The only thing we have here is like: gay parades, army parades, teachers parades… And always for a big reason, like new rights or better schools… Just that…
I heard about open parades in Buenos Aires when I was there… But dind’t watched anything…
Thanks John and tadaniels.
In UK carnival processions it’s common to have an award for the best float. I used to do quite a few with the Tunbridge Wells Juggling Club, and there would usually be several of us on unicycles. Although there was usually an award up for grabs, and although I think we won a few, I don’t recall any of us ever thinking of it as a competition. We were there to have fun and get some publicity for the club.
As far as parades at conventions go I’m used to thinking in terms of BJC parades, where a mass of jugglers parade usually from some point near the centre of the host city to wherever the juggling games will be. There will probably be prizes for the games, but not for the parade.
The idea of having a “best float” style competition (albeit without floats) effectively as one of the convention games is alien to me, but it makes sense once it’s explained.
More information about Issue 6 is here and it also announces the winners of our survey!
Pedro, I emailed you some time ago about your credit card being declined (too much travelling probably!) so please check your PMs.
International postage should take up to 2 weeks after the UK magazines arrive.
Already checked! Wierd, It do not have a limit and I bought lots of stuff! Anyway, answer the PM and I will send the other card information!
Thanks Mike!
Its, “Tom,” and you are welcome 
My favorite NAUCC parade competition memory is from 2002. The competition was actually held during UNICON 11. We took advantage of the Seafair Torchlight Parade through downtown Seattle on Saturday, July 27. About 400 UNICON riders from around the world participated. The parade was being shown live on television throughout the northwest US. USA parade competition judges were seated in the stands at the, “television performance zone,” in the middle of the parade route. The announcers were dumbstruck. They were still talking about being, “invaded,” by, “thousands,” of unicyclists during the 2003 broadcast!
Thanks, Tom! I’m going to take credit for the organized look of the unicyclists in that parade. Since we had a couple of hours of down time between our afternoon ride on Bainbridge Island and the parade, and since there wasn’t any plan for what all the unicyclists would do in the parade, I took it upon myself to speak to all the group/country leaders and set up a riding order so everyone would have a group to ride with. Then I arranged the order so there would be some variety between the groups and not too many giraffes in one area, too many “plain” unicycles in another. That basically meant scattering the American unicycle clubs throughout the route, as they had most of the large hardware.
So we had kind of a mini all-unicycle parade within the much larger Seafair parade! Probably the most unicycles to ever appear in a “regular” parade. That is, a parade that wasn’t about unicycles, like the huge one at Unicon XIV.
As for treating a parade like a competition, I guess it’s like all things competitive. Some people do it more for the fun of the event, while others focus more on seeing if they can win. Many groups that do parades, be they private marching bands, local community groups with floats or special vehicles, equestrian clubs or whatever, do a lot of parades during the warmer months, so adding the competition angle does two things. It gives these people an incentive to not be the same every year, and it also gives an incentive to possibly go to more parades. Perhaps you get better “stuff” in your town’s parade if you have a competition. Many towns and cities have parades on the same day, especially around holidays, so I guess they also compete with each other on getting the best parade performers.
Here’s an example of a small to medium-sized, very American parade, the Carmichael (CA) July 4 parade. I’ve never actually ridden in it, believe it or not, but that allows me to have actually seen it several times; something that’s generally impossible if you’re in a parade.
Actually those pictures don’t make for such a great example as I only focused on certain things. Here’s an earlier version of the same parade. Note there are a lot of repeats from year to year.