Safety at the Pride Parade

See also: “Information for participants”

Safety Rules & Terms

1. All participants must follow the rules and regulations set by Reykjavík Pride. The person responsible for each group (Contact 1) must make sure that all participants in the group are familiar with the rules and regulations. The parade directors and security manager retain the right to remove individuals or entire groups from the parade if they do not follow security rules

Advertisements or distribution of goods

2. Groups cannot be sponsored by or display logos or trademarks from third party businesses or organizations without the permission of Reykjavík Pride. Logos and advertisements on cars and other vehicles must be covered before entering the parade. Any participant or group that displays logos or trademarks without permission will be removed from the parade. 

3. The parade managers will stop any distribution of goods that has not been permitted. Any distribution or handing out of items, brochures, food, drink, etc. is also not allowed in the parade without special permission. 

4. Paper or plastic confetti that are not biodegradable is prohibited. And it is strictly forbidden to throw items at the audience.

Safety regulations

5. It is not permitted to possess or consume alcohol or other drugs while participating in the parade.

6. All participants should keep an eye out for problems that can arise, such as circumstances that can put the safety of the Pride parade participants or those watching in danger. If participants become aware of such circumstances they must contact the parade’s security manager. If the situation calls for an immediate resolution please contact the emergency services 112 and then contact the parade’s security manager.

7. In the case of an emergency please contact 112 immediately. Then the parade’s security manager should be notified. Eva Jóa is the parade security manager and her number is 662-4664.

Vehicles´ information rules and safety guidelines

8. Participants on motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles or scooters must, according to law, wear helmets when driving to and from the parade area. Within the closed area helmets are not required.

9. At least 4 volunteers must walk beside each car or truck in the parade. The volunteers must make sure that the distance between the truck and the bystanders is at least 1 meter. The volunteers must walk with the truck for the entire duration of the parade, they may not be participants in the group but they may dress however they want.

10. All participants standing on platforms or floats must be able to hold on to a firm and sturdy fence or railing for the entire duration of the parade. Any area or platform on the float must be surrounded by a fence at least 1 m high made from sturdy material. Regular ropes are not enough, but ratchet tie down straps will do. It is especially important that the railing is steady and strong at the back of the platform in case the truck accelerates quickly.

11. The size limits for vehicles participating in the parade are the following, when they are driving to and from the closed parade area: height 4.20 m, width 2.50 m. If the vehicle exceeds those size limits it must have a special security escort when driving to and from the parade area. Security escorts, and any cost that may come with it, is the responsibility of each participant, not Reykjavík Pride.

12. Information about the vehicle’s length needs to be sent to parade managers by August 8th. There are no length limits for the vehicles in the parade but every truck must be able to safely drive the parade route. The person responsible for each group must make sure that the driver gets all the information about the parade route, and has driven the route on the vehicle before the parade. Please note that there is a sharp turn from Skólavörðustígur down to Laugarvegur, and the  parade enters the left lane at Lækjargata and continues on the left lane as far as Fríkirkjuvegur.

13. Big trucks must have stairs or some other way of getting participants down from the platform as fast as possible after the parade has ended. There is usually chaos and confusion at the end of the parade so it is important that everyone works together to make it go as smoothly as possible. The parade managers request that participants get off their trucks and out of the parade area as soon as they can.

Access too sound systems and/or generators in emergencies

14. If there is an accident during the parade, groups that have sound systems must give the parade managers access to their car and sound system. All participants must also turn off their sound systems for security reasons if asked to do so by the parade managers or security officers.

Other terms and conditions

15. Reykjavík Pride requires that all participants in the parade show everyone respect, including different cultures and ethnic groups. Costumes may not be degrading or show prejudice towards any group of people, cultures or ethnicities.An example of an unacceptable costume in the parade is dressing up in blackface, that is to use makeup or other means to emulate other ethnicities. This also includes dressing up as a native American or a Chinese person, or any other culture the participant does not belong to. You can read about it here: → Why is Blackface racially socially and politically incorrect?

16. Reykjavík Pride would like to ask all participants to protect our parade and not to let any outsider individuals join their groups.