HomeMy WebLinkAboutA006 - September 8, 2026, Regular Meeting of the Ames City CouncilITEM #:6
DATE:09-08-26
DEPT:ADMIN
SUBJECT:REQUESTS FROM AMES HIGH SCHOOL FOR HOMECOMING PARADE ON
SEPTEMBER 21, 2026
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
BACKGROUND:
Ames High School has requested to hold its Homecoming Parade on Monday, September 21,
2026. Parade entries will stage in Parking Lots MM and M and on Pearle Street. The parade
will start on Main Street west of Clark Avenue and proceed east past Douglas Avenue to the
CBD Lot entrance. The parade entries will disperse from the CBD Parking Lot.
The parade will begin at 6:30 p.m. and last approximately 45 to 60 minutes. To help facilitate
this event, the Homecoming Committee asks that the City Council approve the following
closures:
Fifth Street from Grand Avenue to Pearle Avenue, Pearle Avenue, Main Street from
Pearle Avenue to Duff Avenue, Clark Avenue from north of the CBD lot exit to Fifth
Street, Burnett Avenue from Main Street to Fifth Street, and Kellogg Avenue from north
of the CBD Lot exit to Main Street, from 5:30 p.m. to approximately 7:45 p.m.
City Parking Lot MM, the southern three aisles of Lot M, and a portion of CBD Lot Z from
5:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. for parade staging and disassembly (No reserved spaces would
be affected).
Closure of metered parking spaces along the parade route from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
and waiver of fees (approximately $750 loss to the Parking Fund).
The City Council's policy regarding the waiver of parking meter fees in areas that are
less than District-wide is to consider such requests on a case-by-case basis. The
request relating to the Homecoming Parade route has been supported by the City
Council in prior years.
City employees will be notified of the Lot M closure. Official vehicles parked in the
northernmost stalls will not be affected. Barricades, staffed by adult volunteers, will be placed
on streets along this route for traffic control purposes.
Organizers have consulted with Ames Main Street regarding the event. Staff also advised the
organizers to notify affected businesses along the parade route.
In addition to the requests from the organizers, City staff is requesting that the City
Council grant a waiver of parking meter fees and enforcement from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00
p.m. on September 21 for the 19 metered parking spaces in Lot N, north of City Hall.
There are several fitness classes in the Community Center during evenings, and attendees
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normally park in Lot M or in metered spaces on Fifth Street. City staff would like to provide
free parking in Lot N for those participants in the fitness classes who are displaced by
parade closures. The loss of revenue to the Parking Fund for this request is estimated
to be $9.50.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve the requests from the Ames High Homecoming Committee for street and
parking meter closures in connection with the parade to be held on September 21, 2026;
and waiver of meter fees and enforcement in Lot N from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on
September 21, 2026.
2. Do not approve these requests.
CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
The Ames High Homecoming Parade is a long-standing Ames tradition in the
Downtown. The event has been successfully carried out, and it contributes to the
vibrancy of the Downtown area. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager
that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1, as described above.
ATTACHMENT(S):
AHS Parade Application_Redacted
LOS Ames High Parade 2026
AHS Parade Map
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Location/Address City Hall, 5th Street, Main Street
Rain Date (if applicable)
Rain Location (if applicable)
Upload the event site plan here:Screenshot 2026-08-14 at 4.23.17PM.png
Is this an annual event?Yes
How many years?76
Region Ames Main Street (Downtown)
Upload your letter of support from AREA here.
Upload your letter of support from ISU here.
Upload your letter of support from Ames Main Street here.AMS Letter of Support for Homecoming 2025.pdf
Please explain:
Timeline 1:00 PM - volunteers tag the meters with street closure
information
5:30 PM - volunteers baricade the streets, convertibles and floats
begin staging at the city hall parking lot
6:30 - parade starts
7:15-7:45 - volunteers tear down
Description of Event Activities This is an annual event happening during homecoming week
where floats of clubs in our district, the homecoming court, the
marching band, and administrators will parade through these
streets, giving candy out to attendees (open to the public).
Event Category Parade/Procession/March
Is the event open to the public?Yes
Anticipated Daily Attendance 500
Audience Profile Community members in the City of Ames.
Is your event being held in conjunction with another event?
(e.g. Farmers' Market, 4th of July etc.)
Yes
Please list.Ames High Homecoming
Organization Status Bona Fide Tax Exempt
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Are patron admission, entry, or participant fees required?No
Percentage of net proceeds going towards fundraising:
Percentage of net proceeds going towards for-profit entity:
Are vendor or other fees required?No
Would you like to make a formal request to the City
Council for waiver of some fees associated with the event?
No
Waivers Requested
Estimated Value of Requested Waivers
Fee waivers are generally granted only in unique
circumstances or in exchange for specific benefits. What is
different about this event from most special events making
it uniquely deserving of fee waiver(s)?
Benefits Provided to the City in Exchange for Requested
Waivers
Formal Letter to the City Council Requesting Fee Waivers
Security & Communication
Who will be responsible for security during the event?
Check all that apply.
Volunteers
Security Organization
Security Organization Contact Name
Security Organization Phone Number
Security Organization Email
Number of Volunteers 24
Number of Staff
Describe identification method of staffing levels (e.g.
yellow shirts for volunteers, red shirts for managers).
Yellow traffic vests
Provide details of the training for crowd management
personnel/staff/volunteers, including dates and times of
Before the event, volunteers will recieve a prep email. Before the
parade starts, volunteers will meet and go over responsibilities
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