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Light-Up LED Pom Poms
Metallic streamers with LEDs built into the pom, a rechargeable pack, and one remote that changes the whole team’s color at once.
$145 USD per pair
Good parade float ideas start from three things you can’t change: the parade’s theme, its size rules and its start time. Build on a trailer with a simple frame of wood or chicken wire, cover it in fire-resistant floral sheeting, fringe or pomps, hide the wheels with a skirt, and put your people in front as a walking unit. If the parade runs after dark, light the float and the walkers; light-up poms are the simplest way to light a performing unit, at our team rate of $120 a pair on 10 or more pairs.
Which parade float ideas work for schools and community groups?
| Theme | The float | The walking unit | Day or night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under the sea | Chicken-wire waves and a papier-mâché whale | Dance team in blue and teal | Both; teal light after dark |
| Through the decades | One section of the deck per era | Members dressed by decade | Day |
| Hometown history | A main street front, then and now | Walkers carrying old photos | Day |
| Space or galaxy | A dark deck with planets and a rocket | Dance line in purple and silver | Night |
| Storybook | An open book with the scene rising from it | Characters walking alongside | Both |
| Garden or harvest | Flowers in floral sheeting and pomps | Club members handing out at the curb | Day |
| Faith groups | A choir on a railed deck, or a nativity | Youth group walking in front | Both |
Movement catches the eye. Northwestern Oklahoma State’s float guide encourages moving parts, sound and smoke, and suggests balloons as a cheap, easy fill (source: Northwestern Oklahoma State University). Pick the idea your group can finish in the build nights you have.
How do you build a parade float?
- Start with a trailer. Northwestern Oklahoma State’s rules ask for one at least 12 feet long; low-boy and hay trailers both work.
- Raise and deck it. Fasten pallets firmly to the bed and lay plywood over them for a platform.
- Frame the shapes in wood, PVC pipe or chicken wire, and fasten the frame to the base.
- Cover it in floral sheeting, fringe, festooning or pomps, or papier-mâché over chicken wire, then paint.
- Skirt it so the wheels don’t show.
- Light it last, if the parade runs after dark.
Source: Northwestern Oklahoma State University. Check every material. Illinois State requires float materials to be fire resistant and pass a match flame test, suggests keeping the packaging to show the safety officer, and bans uncovered hay or straw (source: Illinois State University).
What size and safety rules should you plan around?
| Rule | Published examples |
|---|---|
| Height | 13 feet including lights and props (Kilmarnock); 13 feet (Cincinnati homecoming); 16 feet (Mission Viejo) |
| Width and length | 10 feet wide and 50 feet long (Kilmarnock); 9 feet wide and 40 feet long (Cincinnati) |
| Skirt | At least 2 inches above the street (Illinois State) |
| Riders | Hand holds or rails for anyone standing or within 2 feet of the edge, and no jumping on or off while moving (Illinois State) |
| Fire | Fire-resistant decorations, no open flames, and an extinguisher the driver can reach (San Diego) |
| Generator | In the tow vehicle, not on the float (Illinois State); no refuelling during the parade (Kilmarnock, Mission Viejo) |
| Spacing | 25 to 30 feet behind the unit ahead (Mission Viejo) |
Sources: Kilmarnock Lighted Christmas Parade entry form, University of Cincinnati, City of Mission Viejo, Illinois State University, City of San Diego. Get your parade’s rules before anyone draws the float, then draw to them: Cincinnati asked for a sketch with height, length and width marked.
How much does a parade float cost?
Much of a float is borrowed or donated: the trailer, the tow vehicle and the build space. The lines to budget:
| Line | Who usually pays | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Trailer and tow vehicle | A member, sponsor or booster club | Borrowed where possible |
| Frame and deck | Group funds | Pallets, plywood, chicken wire |
| Covering | Group funds | Floral sheeting, fringe, pomps; fire resistant |
| Fire extinguisher | Sometimes the organiser | Illinois State lends one for a refundable deposit; Cincinnati provided one free against a driver’s licence |
| Lights and power | Group funds or a sponsor | Battery power on the walkers, the generator in the tow vehicle |
| Entry fee | Group funds | Chandler charges $25 on acceptance |
| Walking unit | Spirit programme or booster club | Light-up poms at $120 a pair on 10+ pairs |
Sources: Illinois State University, University of Cincinnati, City of Chandler Parade of Lights. Some parades pay part of it back: Northwestern Oklahoma State offered a $200 incentive per float entered in its competition, and prizes of $200, $150 and $100 in each category (source: Northwestern Oklahoma State University).
Which lit elements make a float stand out after dark?
Lighted parades judge the light itself. Chandler’s judges look at the number of lights, how evenly they spread, unusual styles and colours, and lights synced to music (source: City of Chandler Parade of Lights), and the city sets minimums of 1,500 lights on a float and 350 on a vehicle (source: Chandler Parade of Lights entrant information). The lit elements that read from the curb:
- The outline of the main shape, in rope or string lights.
- The skirt line, lit at curb height.
- One lit sign; Chandler requires one in string or rope lights.
- A lit walking unit in front, with poms switching colour on the music.
Who walks with the float?
Put your members on the street, not only on the deck. Northwestern Oklahoma State encourages members to dress in theme and walk in front of and behind the float (source: Northwestern Oklahoma State University). Cincinnati’s 2024 homecoming rules capped each float at 10 people: four riding, including the driver, and six in front or alongside (source: University of Cincinnati). Lufkin requires at least two escort walkers per float, one on each side, aged 10 or older (source: Lufkin’s Lighted Christmas Parade).
- A dance line in front, in LED fringe bodysuits or with light-up poms.
- Escort walkers at the sides, watching the wheels and the crowd.
- Hand-outs at the curb, never thrown. Illinois State and Kilmarnock allow handing items out at the curb; Lufkin allows neither.
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LED Fringe Sequin Dress
A fringe sequin dress with LEDs you switch between colors and light modes with the included remote.
$249 USD
How many poms does a walking unit need?
At our team rate of $120 a pair on 10 or more pairs:
| Group | Pairs | Cost at the team rate |
|---|---|---|
| Club walking unit of 10 | 12 | $1,440 |
| Dance line of 14 | 16 | $1,920 |
| Dance and cheer together, 24 | 26 | $3,120 |
Pair counts include two spares. The same set works at games, pep rallies and next year’s parade.
What is a parade float timeline?
| When | What to lock in |
|---|---|
| Entries open | Read the rules; pick the theme idea; request quotes with your parade date |
| Sketch due | Draw it to the size limits, with dimensions marked |
| Build nights | Frame, cover, skirt, then lights |
| Inspection | Many parades inspect floats before the start; San Diego requires a Fire Marshal inspection |
| Parade day | Extinguisher on board, fuel full, walkers briefed |
Source: City of San Diego. Send your parade date when you ask for a quote and we will tell you plainly what fits.
Who runs what on the day?
| Role | Job |
|---|---|
| Float chair | Rules, sketch and the build schedule |
| Build crew | Frame, covering and lights |
| Driver | A valid licence, and stays with the float |
| Escort walkers | The sides of the float, eyes on the wheels and the crowd |
| Walking unit lead | The dance line or squad in front |
| Adviser or booster club | Trailer, tow vehicle and budget |
San Diego requires drivers to hold a valid licence and Illinois State requires the driver to stay with the float at all times, so pick a driver who isn’t also building.
How do you request a quote for a walking unit?
Email or DM us with the parade date, the walking unit size and your colours. We make our light-up products ourselves and will tell you plainly what fits your date. See team orders for how a group order works.
What do customers say about the LED Fringe Sequin Dress?
The LED Fringe Sequin Dress holds a 5.0 out of 5 rating from 11 customer reviews. A few of them, unedited:
“Obsessed! So beautiful and a perfect fit!”
— Bia P.
“Fantastic dress! Wonderful way to light up my performances. I’m in love!”
— Jessica C.
“As a bigger chested girl soooo happy with the busy area. The sequins are also sewed on really well and gove very good quality/construction”
— Kéren A.
Frequently asked questions
What are easy parade float ideas?
Under the sea, through the decades, hometown history, a storybook or a garden float: each builds on a trailer with a simple frame, floral sheeting or pomps, and a skirt over the wheels.
How do you build a parade float?
Deck a trailer with pallets and plywood, frame the shapes in wood, PVC or chicken wire, cover them in fire-resistant sheeting, fringe or pomps, skirt the wheels and add lights last.
How tall can a parade float be?
It depends on the parade. Kilmarnock caps entries at 13 feet including lights; Mission Viejo at 16 feet.
What materials are used on parade floats?
Vinyl or metallic floral sheeting, fringe, festooning, pomps, foam board and papier-mâché over chicken wire, sold or treated as fire resistant.
Can you put hay on a parade float?
Not uncovered, at many parades. Illinois State allows bales only when they are wrapped in fire-retardant material.
How much do light-up poms cost for a walking unit?
Our team rate is $120 a pair on 10 or more pairs. A dance line of 14 with two spares is 16 pairs, or $1,920 at that rate.
See also: LED pom poms for high school cheer and pep squads, majorette fringe performance wear and team orders.
Sources: Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Illinois State University, University of Cincinnati, Kilmarnock Lighted Christmas Parade entry form, City of Mission Viejo, City of San Diego, City of Chandler Parade of Lights, Chandler Parade of Lights entrant information, Lufkin’s Lighted Christmas Parade.
Questions: info@neoncowboys.com.
