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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
The Christmas parade float ideas that score for school groups pair a lit float with a lit marching unit in front of it: the dance line or cheer squad carries the theme down the street, and the float behind it carries the scene. Many Christmas parades step off after dark (in 2026, Lufkin’s at 5:30 p.m., Chandler’s at 6:45 p.m. and Kilmarnock’s at 7:00 p.m.), and lighted parades judge the light itself. Light-up poms switch colour by remote across the whole unit, at our team rate of $120 a pair on 10 or more pairs.
Which Christmas parade float ideas work for school groups?
| Theme | The float | The unit in front | What lights up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toy soldier march | A toy box with oversized nutcrackers | Dance line in a block, sharp marching | Poms in red; the float outlined in white |
| Candy cane lane | Striped arches over the deck | Cheer squad in red and white | Split sets: raised pom red, low pom white |
| Snow globe | A dome scene in white and silver | Dance team in white or silver | Poms in ice blue; white lights on the float |
| Northern lights | A dark float under a colour wash | Dance line changing colour on cue | Poms switching colour on the music hit |
| Santa’s workshop | Elves at benches, a sleigh at the back | Band, with walkers alongside | Face stickers on adult walkers; lights on the sleigh |
| Gingerbread street | Gingerbread house fronts | Student council walking unit | Warm white lights; stickers on older walkers |
Start from the parade’s own theme. Kilmarnock, Virginia’s 2026 theme is simply Christmas (source: Kilmarnock Lighted Christmas Parade entry form); Emporia, Kansas has named “250 Years Under the Christmas Tree” for its December 5 parade (source: Emporia Christmas Parade). Then pick the idea that fits the people you have: a float needs builders, and a marching unit needs rehearsals.
How are lighted Christmas parade entries judged?
Chandler, Arizona publishes the criteria for its Parade of Lights, and they make a good model for any lighted parade (source: City of Chandler Parade of Lights):
| Criterion | What judges look for | What it means for a school entry |
|---|---|---|
| Use of lights | Lights synced to music or choreography; the number of lights; an even spread; unusual styles and colours | A colour change on the music hit, across the whole unit |
| Originality | Creative techniques and resourceful use of materials | A built float beats a decorated truck |
| Overall presentation | One cohesive entry with a “wow factor” | Float and marching unit on one colour plan |
Chandler has a category for the Best Lit Musical or Dance Group. Kilmarnock gives a Judges’ Award for best use of lights and a Showmanship Award for the best band, dance, marching group, choir or performance group (source: Kilmarnock Lighted Christmas Parade entry form). Judging often happens before the parade: Chandler’s starts at 5:15 p.m., and Kilmarnock’s runs from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. for a 7:00 step-off (sources: Chandler Parade of Lights entrant information, Kilmarnock Lighted Christmas Parade entry form). Have every light on in line-up, not only on the route.
What should the marching unit in front of the float carry?
Lighting rules for walkers vary. Chandler asks for at least 100 lights per walking participant (source: Chandler Parade of Lights entrant information); Douglas, Georgia’s 2024 Festival of Lights Parade required lights on every entry but excluded bands, marching units and drill teams (source: DouglasNow). Either way, the lit unit is the one the curb watches.
- Light-up poms for the dance line or cheer squad. The diodes are built into the pom, not a single light in the handle, and one remote switches the whole line, so the colour change lands on the music.
- One base colour and one change. Red for the route, white at the judges, for example.
The Purdue Golduster Dance Team, the dance line of the Purdue “All-American” Marching Band, ordered 24 pairs of our light-up poms in September 2026 and has performed with them on the field.
How do dance lines and walkers light the rest of the entry?
- LED fringe bodysuits for a dance line. A sequin bodysuit with one layer of LED fringe from a V seam at the hips, colour by remote, in sizes XS to 4X. Plan tights and a base layer for a cold night.
- Light-up face stickers for walkers who carry the banner or walk beside the float, so the whole entry reads as lit, not only the float.
- The same colour everywhere: float lights, poms, bodysuits and stickers on one plan.
Our stickers run on a CR2032 coin battery. Hand them to adults and older students, keep spares and used batteries away from young children, and follow the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s coin-battery guidance (source: U.S. CPSC). They are made for fans, guests and performers off the competition floor, not for athletes in a USASF cheer routine.
Made by Neon Cowboys
Vestido con lentejuelas y flecos LED: RESERVA
A fringe sequin dress with LEDs you switch between colors and light modes with the included remote.
$249 USD
Which lights go on the float itself?
Chandler sets minimums: at least 1,500 lights on a float, 350 on a vehicle, and one lit sign in string or rope lights (source: Chandler Parade of Lights entrant information). Where there is no minimum, these habits still score:
- Outline the main shape first, then fill. Judges reward lights spread evenly across the entry.
- Light the skirt, so the float has a base line at curb height.
- Keep to the colour plan: the float, the poms and the stickers in the same two colours.
- Count the lights in the height. Kilmarnock’s 13-foot limit includes lighting, signs and props, and is strictly enforced (source: Kilmarnock Lighted Christmas Parade entry form).
How do you keep generators, lights and walkers safe?
Rules vary by town, so read your parade’s own. These come from published parade and safety rules:
| Risk | What published rules say |
|---|---|
| Generator fumes | Run portable generators outside only, with the exhaust pointed away from building entrances; look for a carbon monoxide shut-off (U.S. CPSC). Illinois State puts float generators in the tow vehicle, not on the float |
| Generator heat and fuel | Mount it securely, exhaust attached, with 12 inches of clearance from anything that burns (Chandler); no refuelling during the parade (Kilmarnock) |
| Fire | Fire-resistant decorations, no open flames, a 2-A:10-B:C extinguisher the operator can reach, and a second one by a gasoline generator carried on the float (San Diego) |
| Riders | Side rails or restraints so no one falls (San Diego); no jumping on or off a moving float (Illinois State) |
| Walkers and wheels | At least two escort walkers per float, one on each side, aged 10 or older (Lufkin); decorations kept clear of the wheels and 25 to 30 feet behind the unit ahead (Mission Viejo) |
| Candy | Never thrown. Kilmarnock lets walkers hand items to spectators at the curb; Lufkin bans handing out from the parade |
Sources: U.S. CPSC, Illinois State University, Chandler Parade of Lights entrant information, Kilmarnock Lighted Christmas Parade entry form, City of San Diego, Lufkin’s Lighted Christmas Parade, City of Mission Viejo. Battery-powered poms and stickers mean the marching unit carries no cords and no fuel; keep the generator for the float, and keep your walkers and riders away from its exhaust.
How many poms does a school unit need?
At our team rate of $120 a pair on 10 or more pairs:
| Group | Pairs | Cost at the team rate |
|---|---|---|
| Dance line of 12 | 14 | $1,680 |
| Cheer squad of 16 | 18 | $2,160 |
| Dance line and cheer squad, 28 together | 30 | $3,600 |
Pair counts include two spares. The same set switches to school colours for basketball season.
What is a Christmas parade planning timeline?
| When | What to lock in |
|---|---|
| When applications open | Pick the theme idea, the float and the unit; request quotes with your parade date |
| Application deadline | Kilmarnock’s 2026 deadline is November 22; Chandler’s entries reached capacity and closed early this year |
| Safety meeting | Kilmarnock’s is mandatory, on December 1 |
| Build nights | Frame, cover, then lights; test the generator outdoors |
| Parade night | Poms charged, lights on for judging in line-up, spares with an adult |
Sources: Kilmarnock Lighted Christmas Parade entry form, City of Chandler Parade of Lights. 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 |
|---|---|
| Band director | The music, and where the dance line marches |
| Dance or cheer coach | The travelling routine and the colour change |
| Student council or club | The float theme, build crew and walkers |
| Booster club | Trailer, tow vehicle, generator and budget |
| Adult escort walkers | One on each side of the float, eyes on the wheels |
Put the colour cue, the walker positions and the line-up time on one sheet for every adult.
How do you request a quote for a parade unit?
Email or DM us with the parade date, the theme colours and the size of the marching unit. 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 good Christmas parade float ideas for schools?
A toy soldier march, candy cane lane, a snow globe, northern lights, Santa’s workshop or a gingerbread street, each with a lit marching unit in front of the float.
How are Christmas parade floats judged?
Lighted parades usually judge use of lights, originality and overall presentation. Chandler’s judges look at lights synced to music, the number of lights and how evenly they are spread.
Do marching units need lights in a lighted Christmas parade?
It depends on the parade. Kilmarnock says all units must incorporate lighting and Chandler asks for at least 100 lights per walking participant; Douglas, Georgia’s 2024 parade excluded bands and drill teams from its lighting rule.
Can you put a generator on a parade float?
Some parades allow it with conditions: securely mounted, exhaust attached, clear of anything that burns, with an extinguisher nearby and no refuelling on the route. Illinois State requires the generator in the tow vehicle instead.
Can you throw candy from a Christmas parade float?
Usually not. Kilmarnock and Lufkin both ban throwing; Kilmarnock lets walkers hand items to spectators at the curb.
How much do light-up poms cost for a parade unit?
Our team rate is $120 a pair on 10 or more pairs. A dance line of 12 with two spares is 14 pairs, or $1,680 at that rate.
See also: LED pom poms for dance, drill and majorette teams, majorette fringe performance wear and custom face stickers in bulk.
Sources: City of Chandler Parade of Lights, Chandler Parade of Lights entrant information, Kilmarnock Lighted Christmas Parade entry form, Emporia Christmas Parade, DouglasNow, Lufkin’s Lighted Christmas Parade, City of Mission Viejo, City of San Diego, Illinois State University, U.S. CPSC.
Questions: info@neoncowboys.com.
Find your kind of team: light-up pom poms for every team (youth football, high school, college, all-star, studio, club and military academy squads), plus Community Cheer Squads: Light-Up Poms for Parades, Festivals and Hometown Games and Rec Cheer Poms: When Light-Up Poms Make Sense for a Community Squad.
