Judges

The judges use several different categories when judging floats.  For each category several criteria are analyzed and points are awarded based on how the judges feel the float fits the criteria for each category.  The points awarded by each of the five judges is then added together for a total composite score.  The floats with the three highest total composite scores are the winners.

The categories and criteria are listed below:

  • Christmas Theme Originality (one to five points awarded)
    • Most unusual, unique, different
    • Unusual, not often used theme
    • Traditional and often used Christmas theme
    • Christmas theme
  • Interpretation of the Parade Theme (one to five points awarded)
    • Theme idea well portrayed
    • Theme idea adequately portrayed
    • Theme idea poorly interpreted and displayed
    • Does little to portray theme
  • Quality of Workmanship and Construction (one to five points awarded)
    • Excellent workmanship and construction, shows much effort
    • Good workmanship and construction
    • Good to fair workmanship and construction, shows effort, but could have been better
    • Float poorly designed and constructed
    • Sloppy workmanship, hurriedly constructed
  • Utilization of Construction Materials (one to five points awarded)
    • Unusual materials, well used, shows imagination and ingenuity
    • Materials used show thought and imagination
    • Realistically portray float theme
    • Materials adequately portray float theme
    • Fair to poor use of construction materials, float theme not well portrayed
  • Visual Effect and Color Portrayal (one to five points awarded)
    • Striking visual effect, color well used and coordinated
    • Good visual effect, good use of color
    • Fair visual effect, color not used it’s potential, coordination fair to poor.
  • Electric Light Enhancement (one to five points awarded)
    • Outstanding use of lights and lighting, effect well integrated into overall float
    • Good use of lights, shows thought and adds to overall float appearance
    • Lights used to some effect adds to float appearance
    • Use of lights add little to overall float appearance, poorly thought out
    • No use of lights for enhancement
  • Animation and Mechanical Display (one to five points awarded)
    • Unusual use of animation or mechanics to portray float theme
    • Adequate use of animation of mechanics to portray float theme
    • Animation or mechanics not used in float theme
  • Mode of Operation (one to five points awarded)
    • Unusual and imaginative method of movement
    • Attempt to incorporate method of movement into overall float appearance
    • Little or no attempt to decorate or incorporate mode of movement into float
  • Overall Visual Effect (one to seven points awarded)
    • Judge’s personal selection as best of parade
    • Super float, ranks in the top three or four floats
    • Excellent overall appearance, a real crowd-pleaser, float will be remembered after the parade is over
    • Good overall appearance, parts fit well
    • Stays together during movement
    • Overall appearance is fair to poor

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