Introduction
The focus of this article is safety tips for families attending parades.
While the event organisers bear some responsibility to keep you safe, so do you.
Personal responsibility is important. You should not rely on other people to keep you or your family safe. This applies whether attending events or otherwise.
Consequently, we have put together this article to help you keep your family safe at parade events.
Remember – large parades like Dublin Pride can have hundreds of thousands of people attending. For most people, everything goes fine. That said, there are risks inherent in crowds of that size.
It makes sense to be proactive about the safety of your family.
Safety before the parade
There are many things you can do in advance of the parade itself to help you stay safe.
Organisers typically make a lot of information available in advance. This information can help you safely enjoy the event, so take advantage of it.
Organisers and their Safety Consultants will (hopefully) have designed an event with safety at its core. This should make it easier for you to enjoy it safely with your family.
Some safety tips for families attending parades that you can do before the parade include:
Familiarise yourself with the parade route and schedule
Review the information advertised by the event about the route and the event timings. This information will likely include appropriate viewing areas, which you should consider using.
Reviewing the route etc. allows you to select a good, safe vantage point and to identify any potential hazards too.
Establish a family meeting point
Choose a landmark to meet at should any of your family members get separated from the others. Ensure all family members, especially children, are aware of this landmark and know how to reach it.
Plan your outfit
We don’t advise this from a fashion perspective. Rather, this is important as weather can be unpredictable and can have a big impact on events. Dressing in layers will help ensure comfort throughout a parade event.
Comfortable footwear is crucial, as parades will typically involve standing for long periods on hard ground outside.
Make children identifiable
Utilise identification bracelets or wristbands for children. This can help reunite you with them if they do become separated.
In this situation, anything that helps minimise the stress involved and reunite you with them faster is key. Include your number or that of a parent or guardian on the wristband.
We provide Vulnerable Person Wristbands for free all around the world.
Safety during the parade
We have been involved in organising parade events for many years. Organisers and Safety Consultants have processes to help keep attendees safe.
We have also attended parade events with our own families.
There are some simple steps you can take during the parade itself to help keep you and your loved ones safe.
Here are some safety tips for when you and your family are actually attending the parade:
Arrive early and get a good spot
Good, in this case, meaning somewhere safe that allows you a good view of the parade. If you want to avoid large crowds as best you can, arriving early helps.
It is worth positioning yourself near emergency routes. Or, at least consider how you will move from your chosen viewing position quickly if you need to.
Keep a safe distance from the parade
You know the saying ‘look but don’t touch’? Enjoy the parade but don’t get so close to become part of it. Stay behind the safety barriers put in place by the organisers.
Do not rush forward to get things thrown from people in vehicles in the parade.
Organisers look to strike the balance between us enjoying the event but not being at undue risk doing so.
Supervise children closely
Keep children within arm’s reach is generally a good approach.
You might also consider using strollers or child harnesses too. These can be very useful in crowded environments like viewing areas for parades.
Event organisers often provide Lost Child / Person locations too, so familiarise with those if possible.
Avoid interacting with parade vehicles, performers or animals
Refrain from approaching parade vehicles, performers or animals. Unexpected movements can increase risks very quickly.
Performers are generally paying less attention to the audience than their own actions.
Vehicle drivers will likely be focusing on keeping their occupants safe, rather than focusing on those watching on.
Animals can be spooked easily and parades provide plenty of stimulus for them already.
Organisers generally implement boundaries and demarcations for our safety. We should adhere to them.
Be cautious with collected items
Inspect any sweets or free items collected from parade participants and performers during the parade. Ensure they are safe for your children to consume or play with them.
The nature of free sweets and gifts often means they are sourced cheaply.
With no ill-will intended, this can sometimes mean they are past their use-by-dates and similar. They are worth checking rather than trusting blindly.
Safety after the parade
Once the parade itself concludes, there are still risks present. For instance, there will still be crowds and, rather than being static, they are now moving.
Be vigilant and proactive, even once the scheduled parade activities are complete.
Safety tips for once the parade is over for families attending parades include:
Keep an eye on crowds moving
As the parade concludes, people will start to move. Crowd movement at this time can be unpredictable.
Some people will know exactly where they are headed.
Others will be figuring it out while moving.
Some may well be staying in position.
Plan your movement and that of your family with this all in mind. Watch the crowds and react accordingly.
Holding hands is typically a good idea as you navigate through crowds as a group.
Stay hydrated and well fed
Parades can be long events. Ensure to refuel once they are over. Ideally, you will have been hydrating and eating during the parade too but this can sometimes be challenging.
It’s worth bringing some snacks like energy bars and some water or other fluids.
Some parades may provide water stations or vendors selling food and drink. Don’t rely on them though.
Be mindful of your surroundings
Parades, indeed anywhere there are crowds, often attract pickpockets and petty criminals. Be mindful of this as you move through and enjoy the event.
Organisers will likely have Crowd Management and Crowd Safety personnel to help keep you safe. That said, again, take personal responsibility for your own safety and that of your family.
Conclusion
Parades are superb, family-friendly, fun events, typically.
Ensuring our families are safe when attending events is not solely the responsibility of the organisers.
It’s on us, as attendees too.
The tips included above and reiterated below will help you keep your families safe at parades.
Safety Tips for Families Attending Parades
- Familiarise yourself with the parade route and schedule
- Establish a family meeting point
- Plan your outfit
- Make children identifiable
- Arrive early and get a good spot
- Keep a safe distance from the parade
- Supervise children closely
- Avoid interacting with parade vehicles, performers or animals
- Be cautious with collected items (sweets, freebies etc.)
- Keep an eye on crowds moving
- Stay hydrated and well fed
- Be mindful of your surroundings