Different costumes are used for specific parade roles and locations in the parade. We will do our best to honor requests to put you in a certain place, near a certain member, or in a certain role, but ultimately our foot soldiers are expected to go where they are needed as assigned.
Most of our foot soldier costumes will need a few accessories provided by you:
- Dark, solid-color leggings, running tights, yoga pants or sweatpants with dark socks. NO JEANS! Even regular black dress pants can work if you tuck them into tall boots. No workout plants with stripes down the sides. Knee-length pants over tights or thick over-the-knee socks can also work, without or without tall boots. Your legs will show in many of the costumes.
- Medieval-ish shoes or, even better, tall medieval boots. NO TENNIS SHOES! This parade is only 1.2 miles. You probably have something suitable in your shoe closet already — see our medieval shoes guide.
- Warm layers underneath (the temperature is usually around 40F). A dark solid color shirt such as a turtleneck or sweatshirt is recommended. Most costumes will show very little of your shirt.
- Dark solid color gloves are a plus. Most years we actually are NOT freezing, but carrying a banner or prop can be more pleasant with gloves.
- Most of the costumes include a medieval hat. If you want to add your medieval wig, that’s OK too.