Return Day Committee, Georgetown Police Announce Parade Details, Road Closures

Georgetown -- The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) will be assisting Sussex County and the Return Day committee with traffic control on Thursday, November 4, 2010. As part of that assistance, DelDOT is posting this media release issued previously by the Return Day Committee:
As Return Day 2010 approaches, preparations are quickly moving forward.

And officials with the Sussex County Return Day Committee and the Georgetown Police Department are working once again to make the festivities set for Nov. 4 as enjoyable and safe for participants and spectators alike.

Delaware is once again in the national spotlight with this year's U.S. Senate race, and just like 2008 when then Vice President-elect Joe Biden came to town, expectations are high for Return Day 2010 to draw high-profile political figures, a throng of national and international media and thousands of spectators.

Because of that, security for Return Day remains heightened this year, but with an emphasis on keeping the event as quaint and familiar as those of the past.
"Return Day is tradition in Sussex County, and people don't like it when you mess with tradition," said Return Day Committee President Rosalie Walls. "We still have all that tradition with the horse-drawn carriages, the burying of the hatchet, and the reading of the returns."

"But obviously, we live in a different time from when Return Day began all the way back in 1792, so we are doing everything we can to balance the public's safety with everyone being able to have a good time," Ms. Walls said.

With that in mind, the Return Day Committee, on the advice of local law enforcement, will continue limits on parade entries this year.

Those include:
The prohibition of fuel tanker trucks, and other large, enclosed vehicles (e.g. 'box' trucks, garbage trucks or tractor-trailers);
A restriction on throwing candy or other items from parade entries;
Requiring parade participants to remain on the entire parade route from start to finish. There are no restrictions on the type or size of floats, and marching bands, civic organizations, dance troupes, etc., are encouraged to participate.
All entries must register with the Return Day Committee by Saturday, Oct. 30. For an entry form, visit http://www.returnday.org/.

On Return Day, entrants must be in place at the appropriate staging areas near Georgetown Middle School by no later than 11 a.m. to allow for inspection and security checks. The Return Day parade will begin at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 4. The public is reminded that many streets throughout Georgetown will be closed, beginning Wednesday, Nov. 3, to accommodate the Return Day festivities.
A map and full listing of those closures is provided in a separate release. Additionally, those planning to attend the Return Day parade and festivities as spectators are encouraged to arrive early and carpool, if possible. Parking will not be allowed or limited in many areas of Georgetown. Park-n-Ride locations will be established at Delaware Technical & Community College, North Georgetown Elementary School, and the Sports at the Beach complex.

Lastly, officials are asking the public to refrain from bringing backpacks, coolers, and large purses, if possible, as those items could be subject to search. "We are taking these steps as precautions, for all of our guests," said Georgetown Police Chief William Topping. "In the end, we want this to be a fun and safe day for Georgetown and Sussex County."

Return Day is a uniquely Sussex County tradition held each election year to celebrate the democratic process and set aside political differences. Recognized as a U.S. Library of Congress Local Legacy event, Return Day dates to as early as 1792 and brings together candidates - both winners and losers - on the Thursday
after Election Day.