Italian Parade
Saturday, September 20, 2025 at 4:00pm
Application Deadline: September 6th, 2025
The Route will be as follows:
Hesperia and Main to Seminary
Turning North on Seminary to Clay
Turning West to Hesperia.
Each entry is limited to one motor vehicle. For the 2025 parade, we will limit the event to the first 50 entries. Cars and theme-decorated floats will be allowed first. If your vehicle is larger than a truck and trailer, please make a specific note on the application.
The lineup is established according to protocol and public safety concerns.
- Theme – We are giving full creativity control to participants
Parade Grand Marshall Information: Theresa Delphine Ferrari Billy
Born June 21, 1934, to Italian immigrants Enrico and Sabina Ferrari, Theresa was the youngest of seven. Though she arrived in first grade without English, she caught up so fast she skipped straight to third. After graduating Gillespie High School in 1952, she earned her teaching credentials at SIU Carbondale and began a 37-year career in the Collinsville School District at Webster Elementary.
In 1958, she married Don Billy and together they raised their daughter, Lori, in the home they built right here in Collinsville. Beyond the classroom, Theresa founded the Webster Chorus, and for decades served up her famous spaghetti, antipasto, and Bagna Cauda with the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church and the Collinsville Sunrise Kiwanis Club.
She served 12-years on the Collinsville Unit 10 School Board. She was a part of the Collinsville Kiwanis for 17 years and volunteered 36 years serving food at Italian Fest. She has visited Italy nine times. Theresa—now 91—is still active, fluent in Italian, and deeply proud of her heritage and hometown. Join us in celebrating her extraordinary life and dedication to the Collinsville community.
2025 Rules Regulations and Policies
- Applications must be received by September 6th, 2025
- Collinsville Chamber of Commerce and Italian Fest Committee adopt and amend the rules and regulations of the Italian Fest.
- The parade is limited to the first 50 entries; Cars and decorated float entries will be allowed first in. PLEASE NOTE THESE ENTRIES will be allowed in first.
- Each entry is limited to ONE (1) motor vehicle.
- All participants in the 2025 Italian Fest must abide by all rules, regulations, and decisions set forth by The Collinsville Chamber of Commerce and Italian Fest Committee.
- Floats will be judged on appropriateness to the theme, emotional appeal, originality, and overall effect.
- Float Prizes: 1st Place $200.00, 2nd Place $100.00, 3rd Place $50.00
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Decorated vehicles will be judged on appropriateness to the theme, emotional appeal, originality, and overall effect.
Decorated vehicle prize – 1st Place Recognition - Candy may be handed out with walkers alongside your unit.
- No refunds for entry fees will be given for units ejected.
- The Parade will start at Hesperia and Main Street. It will go up Main Street to Seminary. It will turn left on Seminary and then left on Clay Street. The Parade will end at Clay and Combs. The parade will not go through the Fest grounds.
- Lineup begins at 2:30 pm. You will receive a map and line up number in the mail.
- If your application is not accepted for the parade your entry fee will be returned to you.
- Once you or your organization is accepted into the 2025 parade there are no refunds of entry fees.
- The parade begins promptly at 4:00 pm September 20, 2025.
- Once you are on the route keep your unit moving. Do not stop your unit during the parade unless you are instructed to do so by the parade committee, parade marshals or the Collinsville police.
- All drivers of motorized vehicles must be 21 years of age or older, must have a valid driver’s license, and must have, in their possession the day of the parade, proof of insurance for the vehicle they are driving.
