Swiss Days Parade Application

“Under the Sycamore Trees”

2025 Swiss Days Parade Theme

Among the many beloved characteristics of Santa Clara are the beautiful sycamore trees that line the street through town. In 1948, Hilda Stucki Cabell was chair of the town’s Beautification Committee. At that time, the main drive through town was Highway 91, the principal thoroughfare between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. The committee felt something needed to be done to improve the townscape for the thousands of people who drove through each day. They decided to plant sycamore trees on both sides of the road, all the way through town.

Sylvan and Sylva Graf, owners of the local Rose Garden Nursery, drove to California and brought back a large number of trees. Members of the Beautification Committee and other townsfolk planted the trees. Vernin Graff and Gordy Frei took care of the fledging trees using buckets to dip water from the ditches that ran through town.

In 1990, the State wanted to remove the trees in order to widen the road to four lanes. When the Historical Society heard the news, they pleaded the case to save the trees which had become such a treasured part of the town’s character. The issue was resolved when the City of Santa Clara agreed to take full responsibility for maintaining the road through town. And the sycamore trees were saved.   

Enjoy those old sycamores that have given us such wonderful shade for all these years!  

SANTA CLARA CITY SWISS DAYS PARADE ENTRY REQUIREMENT, RULES, POLICIES & PROCEDURES

1. Every entry and participant must be covered by adequate liability insurance. Neither Santa Clara City, the Santa Clara Historical Society, or Swiss Days organizers provides insurance for parade participants.

2. No Political Entries will be allowed.

3. Entry numbers will be emailed—you are responsible to print out your number twice and place the numbers on each side of the front window of your entry. Entries must be in their respective places by 8:30 a.m. for staging. If 10 or more persons riding on a float, those riders should be on the float prior to turning onto Chapel Street for staging. All entries will be positioned in the parade lineup at the discretion of the Santa Clara Swiss Days Parade Committee. Map with directions to the event are on the website. Staging information will be emailed prior to parade date.

4. One adult must accompany every 10 children on a parade entry. Riders may not get on and off vehicles during the parade. Riders on a float, truck, or trailer must be at least 18 inches from edge of float and cannot hang over the edge of any vehicle, trailer, or float.

5. All participants and entries will maintain consistent spacing between entries and not stop or hinder the pace of the parade. Large gaps between entries are unacceptable and diminish spectator’s enjoyment of the Parade. Entry participants should expect to be asked by Parade Officials and Police Officers to speed up, slow down or perform to enhance the flow of the parade and for its effective management and operation. If performing, it must be forward motion-no stopping to perform.

6. Age Limit for Throwing Candy/Toys – Children under the age of 8 need adult supervision if throwing candy/toys. Supervising adult must ensure candy/toys thrown from vehicles/trailers/floats reach the curb and cannot be thrown from inside the vehicle cab. Drivers are not allowed to throw any items. Walkers are required on each side of entry to ensure the safety of children.

7. Participants cannot encourage anyone to leave the spectator area or approach any vehicle/trailer/float.

8. All participants walking or escorting a parade entry must be at least 13 years-of-age, unless accompanied by an adult. Each entry should have an adult escort on both sides of entry to help ensure safe passage along the parade route. Walkers with vehicles/trailers/floats should walk alongside and not in front or behind the parade entry. A distance of 10 ft. must be maintained. Walking adults, children, and/or animals must keep pace of parade: See #4

9. Parade entries shall be limited to 50 in number, plus city entries, or such amount as determined by the Swiss Days Committee. Any parade entry/application that the Santa Clara Swiss Days Parade Committee deems inappropriate to or inconsistent with the purpose of the parade, or non-compliant with parade rules, policies and procedures, may be denied approval as an entry or removed as an entry in the parade. The Santa Clara Swiss Days Committee reserves the right to deny any parade application entry.

10. Entry deadline 10 days prior to parade date — NO EXCEPTIONS

11. Maximum length of a parade entry is 65’ (includes entries with multiple vehicles and/or people/animals that are walking). Maximum width 15’.

12. All parade entries will conduct themselves and operate vehicles and parade apparatus in a safe manner at all times. No wheelies, high-speeds, or sudden accelerations. Any entry not compliant with this rule can be removed from parade by parade officials, or police officers.Entrant and participants hereby release and discharge the Santa Clara Swiss Days Parade Committee, Santa Clara Swiss Days Committee, and the Santa Clara City Historical Society, including their agents,
employees, representatives, officers, stockholders, and directors of and from all claims, demands, damages, liabilities, obligations, costs, expenses, actions, and causes of actions of every kind, based upon any matter, cause, fact, act or omission related to their application for and participation in the parade.

Signing of this form indicates that the applicant and its participants will comply with all rules, policies and regulations established for the parade. Signing also releases any photography rights for photo- graphs and/or video taken of parade entries to be used in future Santa Clara City and/or Santa Clara Swiss Days promotional material