Date/Time
Date(s) - 2025-11-28
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Categories
Event Name: Niles Festival of Lights Parade
Venue (Route): Niles Blvd.
Event Website: https://www.nilesfestivaloflightsparade.org/
Expected number of attendees: 10,000
Parade time: 6:30pm – 7:30pm, we won’t know our exact step off time until closer to the parade.
Requested number of characters: 10-25
Requested character types: Any
Secure changing/staging area: Veterans Hall is located at 37154 2nd St, Fremont, CA 94536, open at 4:40pm (double check ops orders in case this changes)
Handler/Photographer: Yes
Weapons/Masks: No blasters, other props & lightsabers are fine
Parking: Free parking in the parking lot, more details will be provided closer to the event date.
Participant parking is located on side streets, not in the staging area, or in the railroad depot at the
corner of Sullivan Underpass and Mission Boulevard. (see maps provided). Limited parking is also
available off Nursery Avenue and in the public parking lots off Niles Boulevard near the Niles Train Car.
Also near Niles Elementary School and streets around the school.
Handler Training November 4: https://www.501stggg.com/events/2025-11-04-last-handler-training-of-the-year-november-4th-at-7-pm-handler-training-on-zoom/
Niles Blvd and the staging streets close at 3:00pm, expect heavy traffic into Niles and more road closures as it gets closer to the start of the parade.
Charity:
Referred by: Previous parade participation
Holiday Parade Special Info: Holiday themed additions are permitted (lights, bells, Santa hats, candy canes, etc.) Costume replacements (changing color of cloaks, helmets, hats, etc.) are NOT PERMITTED.
This event will be declined if we do not have a minimum of 8 troopers and EITHER 2 handlers or 1 open face trooper and 1 handler signed up in the ticket system by the RSVP date or at least two weeks before the event.
***If you are signing up as a specific named character please note you might not be picked if other people sign up with the same named character. If you have an alternate character from the one you chose when taking a ticket please mention it in the comments***
—–HANDLER INFORMATION—–
Please bring a flashlight!
—–DAY OF EVENT LOGISTICS INFORMATION—–
Parking Lot Open Time: Street parking
Parking Address: Street parking
Changing Area Open Time: 4:40pm
Changing Area / Meeting Point Address: Veterans Hall is located at 37154 2nd St, Fremont, CA 94536 (double check ops orders in case this changes)
Staging Area Call Time (in costume & in marching order): Handler check in by 5:30pm, troopers might be able to get to staging area slightlky later
Staging Area Location: E Street
Estimated Step Off Time: The parade starts at 6:30pm and we usually don’t step off until a bit later.
As this is a high profile event please review the garrison standards and practices forum post:
Team Lead:
Event Coordinator: Kyle Langdon
2025-11-14