Getting Started: How to run a parade marching group

• First things first

Arranging a marching group is really being responsible for a marching group. That means not just signing up but also being the main point of contact between the parade organisers and your group and being responsible for their attendance and more importantly their safety on the day.

Think about what capacity you've got, and be realistic. You'll likely need to be available to attend at least one briefing session (three is not unheard of) and you'll need to be available on the day for longer than everyone else. When you're confident you can commit to being in charge, there are two things your parade organisers will want to know: your groups name, and how many marchers you expect.

If you're marching as a local community group or activist organisation your name will be self-evident, but you don't have to be an organised group to participate. You could sign up as ‘Bi+ People of Barrow’, ‘Skegness Bi and Pan Community’ or anything that takes your fancy. This group name may be published online and in print souvenir brochures on the day, so have a think what sort of message you want your name to send.

Likewise, if you're a group of 12 and you're not intending to invite anyone else, you don't have much to think about either, but if you're putting out the call, have a good idea in advance of how many are likely to sign up.

Your parade organisers may have guidelines about an appropriate size for your group online, and if they do you should follow them. Groups sizes might range from 15 to ten times that, but smaller is always easier to manage. You'll be allocated spaces based both on the number of people you've requested to march and the space available, so if lots of groups apply, you may have to take fewer spaces than you'd planned.

If you're planning on recruiting marchers from outside of your group or people you know socially be realistic about how many you might attract. You don't want to be frantically scrabbling for people to fill your quota at the last minute. If you absolutely know you can get 100+ people to turn up on the day then you should absolutely go for it, but if your usual meet up group has 25 regulars that's a great size and much easier to handle.

• Apply in advance

There is limited space in most parades. Your organisers will have a maximum capacity that reflects the length, distance and speed of the parade as well as road closure agreements, crowd safety considerations and other logical matters. Some applications are run as ballots, some are first-come-first-served, and others are hand picked by the parade organisers to properly reflect the local community. Whatever method your event is using your place is not guaranteed but an earlier application can privilege you over later applications if they're short on space.

Apply as soon as you can. Most local prides will open applications a few months in advance of the event and have a form online or an email address to contact. There is usually a closing date advertised, so take note.

• Consider your potential costs

Some events charge a flat fee to march, others may have a sliding scale depending on who you are, and others are completely free. Some prides have community access funds or other small grants available, or may be able to waive the fees of traditionally underrepresented groups.

If you do need to pay a fee, ask your marchers to contribute. You may find plenty are happy to chip in.

Aside from a potential registration fee, your budget is really yours to define. If your wallet only stretches to the bus fare to the parade start point you can still make an impact. Your presence alone tells the crowds that a bi+ community exists here, so spending money on extra bells and whistles, while fun, is not essential.

If you're going to spend money on anything at all, we'd recommend it's a durable, reusable banner either with your groups name or a more generic message (which means you can lend it to other groups later). We'd also recommend getting hold of a stash of poster paints or spray paints and as many cardboard boxes as you can find so you can make placards.

• Recruit your marchers

Once the parade organisers have confirmed how many people you can take along you can start signing people up. Spread the word on social media, and encourage your group to invite their friends along.

If you're putting out an open call for people to join you we recommend using a site like meetup.com to coordinate as it will let you collect their details and communicate with them without having to worry about data protection or keeping track yourself. A googleform is also a great way of getting all the details you need, if that works better for you. Pride teams may want to know any access needs your marchers have, particularly if your group includes BSL speakers, powerchair users or people bringing service animals.

Make sure your records of who is coming is kept up to date, especially if you're anticipating needing a waiting list. You may (or may not) have to nominate stewards and flag/banner carriers in advance.

It's likely your marchers will have to wear a wristband or similar identifier, and you will usually need to distribute these in advance. You can do this directly outside the parade staging area just before you go in, but every other group will try to do that too so if you're doing it on the day, choose a venue away from the crowds like a local cafe or transport hub.

• Making your mark

You'll definitely want to draw attention to your group, and there are lots of ways you can do it. Are you going for a celebratory atmosphere or a more protesty one? Ask your marchers to dress for the occasion and you’re halfway there.

As we mentioned, a durable banner is a great investment if you're planning on marching again or sharing it with another group, but you can also repurpose bed sheets or other large bits of fabric, especially if you're handy with a paintbrush. Encourage your marchers to make their own placards and protests signs. If you like, arrange a weekend afternoon to get together and make signs as a group so you can share resources and slogan ideas.

You could consider asking everyone in your group to wear the same colour - traditionally purple - or to incorporate the bi or pan flag into their outfit. Face paint and make up are always encouraged too. In years past bi+ groups have marched with matching umbrellas and flag coloured balloons to create a spectacle but the possibilites are endless.

Several metre long flags are a common sight at prides, and they always make for great photos too. If you’ve got one, tell your pride. It’s probably not so long that it’ll cause an issue, but you they may want to account for the additional footprint.

• On the day

If you've attended the briefings or read the emails, you should have a good idea of what to expect on the day. Some prides will allow your marchers to arrive in dribs and drabs as long as they've got a wristband and others will ask you to arrive all at once. Arrange a place to meet a short walk away from your parade entry point.

You may be required to wait for some time at the parade staging area before you start marching. There will usually be toilets here. Often marchers cannot leave the parade - or can only do so at designated points - so this is your last chance to go for a while. You will almost certainly set off late, even if the group at the front didn't. Expect to be longer waiting than the parade team estimate.

In larger parades the marching is often stop/start in nature. The route could be anything from just over a mile to almost three, but you won't compete it in one go, and you may have been standing for a couple of hours in the staging area, so wear shoes that can cope.

• Look after your marchers

Keep your marchers informed of everything they need to know in the run up to the event. You can release information as you know it, but you should send a final email the week before the march that includes

1. The time and place you are meeting

2. What to do if they are late

3. Any safety precautions you've been given

4. What they need to bring (which should include water and sunscreen)

5. What to do at the end of the parade

Make the same details as available as you can by posting them to your social media/meetup.com event, but know that some people will not read them even if they’ve landed in their inbox.

If you can carry it, you might want to consider taking a couple of spare bottles of water, suncreen you don’t mind sharing and a small first aid kit. You are likely to be asked about local transport and what to do in an emergency, so be prepared.