Performing in Parades

Here is some advice to get you started on performing in parades:

If you ever do get together in groups, practice what you can, before parade day. It's easier for others to follow along if part of the group knows what they're doing.
Make sure all riders are going to participate in the group maneuvers. When in an informal situation, some kids decide (during, when it's too late) that they don't want to do it. Make sure they've at least said they want to up front.
Before the parade, establish a line order. Usually either tallest to smallest or the other way around. If everybody knows who to follow, you can form a line quickly.
The front rider has to be a leader type (doesn't have to fit in with the size order), hopefully with a loud voice or a whistle.
Line formation -- Follow the leader, making snake shapes, riding up in front of the people and in whatever kinds of patterns you can manage. Figure 8's not recommended unless you've practiced it before.
Circle formation -- Form the line into a circle. Twin Cities riders sometimes do this with one or two riders stopped in the middle. For them it's usually their three tallest giraffes, and all the other riders then do a London bridge under their arms.
The Vee -- Get your line side by side, so you're all shoulder to shoulder across the street. If you're good, you can then have the end riders slow down and make a V across the street. Then they can speed up. We used to do this in the Redford club, with the tallest unicycles in the center, and holding hands if possible. Most of Redford's formations were based on having two lines, which requires rehearsal.
The melee -- Not really a melee, but when the lines & circles get old, let everyone break up and do their good stuff, if any. Later you call them back into a line.
Good stuff -- Cool tricks, comedy bits, juggling, using props. I like to ride my tall unicycle toward the crowd, while looking off to the side and waving at someone, until the riders in front of me think I'm not paying attention. Then suddenly go "AAAH!" (or something similar) and stop dead or swerve. OR, ride up near the crowd, stop pedaling and let the uni start to fall forward, and suddenly pedal out of it. They love that. (NOTE: don't do *anything* close to the people on giraffes unless you're really comfortable with what you're doing).
Street show -- One of the most interesting parades I've been in was in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The parade would go a ways, and then stop for a few minutes. So the group would take turns doing little individual shows, doing their best stuff, while the other riders stopped and clapped (or guzzled water; it was hot!).