CRUCIAL INFO
Marching Pack Pickup
Where: The Oxford Hotel, Oxford Underground (Basement)
When: Saturday 1 March, 3:00pm to 5:00pm
You will receive your marching pack, which includes your t-shirt and a bottle of water. We will have sunscreen at The Oxford that you can apply before heading off to the marshalling area. You will also be wrist-banded with a Bear Essentials wristband.
Marshalling Area Info
Where: College Street (Refer to Map) – Marshalling Position JJ01.
When: 5:00pm to 6:00pm. Do not leave this too late. We cannot help you if you get locked out by security.
You can enter and leave the marshalling area until 7pm. At 7pm sharp the entrances will close. If you are not already inside the marshalling area at that time, you will not be able to participate.
Marshalling Area Entry Rules
You will be sent a Humantix ticket from Mardi Gras via email on Thursday 27 February. If you have not received this ticket, please email events@hcbears.com.au immediately to get it re-sent.
You will receive a second copy at 1pm on the day of the parade- this is to make it easier for you to find it in your inbox. It’s important that you don’t wait until you receive the second ticket to let us know if you haven’t received the first one, as it will be too late by that time.
You must present this ticket along with photo ID at the entry to the Marshalling Area.
Security may check your bag upon entry.
Your bag should be no larger than an A4 sheet of paper (approx. 20cm x 30cm, 8in x 12in).
Do not leave your bag unattended.
We will have a long wait, so bring some snacks for the duration. This is especially important if you have special dietary needs, as while there will be food trucks inside the marshalling area, the options will be severely limited.
Alcohol and illicit substances are strictly prohibited.
What to Bring
- A hat
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Your mobile phone
- Your ticket from Mardi Gras
- A mobile phone charger battery
- Snacks
- A refillable water bottle (it cannot be glass)
- Any medications you might need
- A small bag to put everything in (the BE29 bag is about the right size, if you got a party pack this year or previous years)
What not to Bring
Do not bring: Glass, alcohol, sharp objects, large bags or luggage, drugs or any other illicit substances, glitter, confetti, costume changes
PARADE INFO
Harbour City Bears’ Parade Position is 159. This is towards the end of the parade, so we’re not expected to be actually marching before 10pm. You must be with the group by 9pm at the latest, and in position in our starting spot by 9:30pm.
We have a flatbed truck and music, following which everyone will be marching. Those with accessibility needs have first priority to be on the truck, but once they’re on, everyone else should climb aboard until it’s full. Note that you cannot hop on and off once the parade starts, so once you’re on, plan to stay there.
We will be leaving the marshalling area at approximately 10pm. Please follow all instructions from your Harbour City Bears Parade Marshalls.
Keep Moving
Note that we are towards the end of the parade, so it is likely that the parade will already be running late by the time we get started. Do not dawdle, you need to keep together with the group, and you must stay at least 5 metres ahead of the float behind us.
If the either the float or parade marshalls ask you to pick up your speed, please do so. Previous years the last float has often had to move at a jog to get through in time.
If you are interacting with the crowd, come straight back to the group, and ensure you stay level with the group even while away at the fences.
You must always be moving forwards, never backwards.
Marshalls and Contacts
The Parade Marshalls are Dan Lynch and Andrew Reid.
If you need to contact someone from the club, you can call the HCB hotline on 0491 679 628. Note that mobile coverage can be quite spotty during the parade due to the large numbers of people- so you might have better luck texting. Please don’t use internet-based messaging during the parade, as it’s unlikely to get through.
We will have a couple of radios, please bring your own if you have one. It’s likely the airwaves will be crowded, so we might have to share a channel with many others. We’ll advise the channel on the day.
Luggage and Transport
Mardi Gras will only permit small bags into the parade area. Bags should be about the same size as an A4 piece of paper (approx. 20cm x 30cm, 8in x 12in).
Note that you will probably have to carry anything you bring with you! We will allow people to put small bags on the truck, but you cannot bring luggage.
Note that the truck will separate from the marchers at the end of the parade, so make sure you have all your things with you before we get there. We will load all personal belongings that are left behind onto a small cart, and then you can retrieve them from us at the Oxford. Make sure you have your bag before the end of the parade if you will need it that night.
Ensure there is some way to identify your bag. Lots of bears will be using the BE29 bags which will all look the same, and they will all be dumped in a cart together.
The light rail will be running at increased capacity, but there will not be buses near the parade, and it is likely it’ll be hard to get a taxi or rideshare, so plan to walk to your next destination.
PARADE THEME & DRESS CODE
This year the Harbour City Bears’ parade entry has the theme “Free to Bee”. You will have been given a red or yellow shirt, and a set of bear ears or bee ears/antennae. Half the participants will also have been given a stuffed toy bee. There are only limited numbers of the red and yellow shirts, and they will be allocated at random, so if you don’t like the colour you’re given, or want a different size, you’ll have to find someone to swap with.
The red-shirted bears are reminiscent of (but legally distinct from) Winnie the Pooh, the yellow-shirted bears should chase the red bears with the bees, similar to our BE29 art.
DO NOT THROW ANYTHING (including the bees) INTO THE CROWD. You may hand the bee to a member of the public if you see someone who wants it, or you may keep it yourself if you want. You’re free to interact with the crowd (high-fives, etc.) but don’t slow down the parade.
You can wear as much or as little as you feel comfortable wearing, however genitals must be covered, and remember you will be walking a long way, so sensible shoes are recommended.
The truck will be decorated with plastic plants for a flower/pollination theme.
POST-PARADE
The truck will separate from the marchers at the “Tibby Cotter Bridge” which is the golden-coloured bridge with the curved ramp entries, a little bit before the Moore Park light rail stop.
We can’t give you a lift anywhere, as the cabin seats will be filled with the volunteers who are unloading the truck, and it’s not legal to have riders on the back outside the parade area, or after the parade ends.
Please note, we will not be meeting up after the parade near the SCG this year so once the parade finishes it’s up to you to collect your belongings from us at one of the other events or venues if you’ve left them behind.
For those of you not going to the Mardi Gras Party, Harbour City Bears have our own event, the Mardi Gras Afterparty at The Oxford Underground.
Doors open at 8pm and we will be partying until 3:30am.
Keep your marching wristband on for priority entry. The Oxford security have been informed we’re coming. It is a ticketed event, so get your ticket now if you haven’t got one already, as space is limited.
HAVE FUN!
Please also see further information provided by Mardi Gras