The deadline to register to participate in this year’s Winter Carnival Parade is Feb. 5.

The parade will take place on the historic Pioneer Avenue route on Feb. 10 starting at noon. The theme for 2024 is “What’s Old is New” and will feature the Krewe Music Group.

People can submit float submissions for parade participation as a local business, nonprofit organization, association or simply as an individual. “We welcome all to participate, as you do not have to enter a float; it can be a walking entry, cars, bikes…get creative!” the Homer Chamber of Commerce says on their submission webpage.

Registration for entry is free. The route starts from Homer High School and will travel down Pioneer Avenue to Woodside Avenue, the parking lot near the old Homer Middle School.

“Homer Bucks” will be awarded for winning entries in various categories, including antique cars, trucks and machinery, best use of theme, animals and birds, best children’s group, bikes, trikes and motorcycles, performing arts and music and judge’s favorite.

The chamber asks float entrants to respect the request for no open-bed truck floats with kids on them and no firearms — real or toy — on the floats.

The chamber also asks participants intending to hand out candy to not throw it from the float but to have someone walking alongside handing it out.

“This is to prevent children from running into the street,” the chamber website says.

The entry sheet also says that “the intent of the Winter Carnival Parade is family oriented and not a platform for political opinions or personal viewpoints. Such entries and narratives will be disqualified. The Chamber reserves the right to accept or not any parade application.”

Floats need to be at the Homer High School parking lot by 11 a.m. on Saturday Feb. 10 to check in for the parade and line up. For more information about the parade and to find the float entry form online go to the Homer Chamber website at https://www.homeralaska.org/events/winter-carnival-celebration/.