BEVERLY — Organizers of tomorrow's Beverly Farms Horribles Parade say they will ban floats with "explicit sexual content" after last year's controversy that cast the century-long neighborhood tradition into the national spotlight.
Brett Schetzsle, a member of the parade's organizing committee, said the prohibition of "explicit sexual content" has been added to the entry form that float participants must submit.
"We will be a little bit more rigorous about enforcing the entry forms and making sure that all floats have been reviewed," Schetzsle said.
The extra precautions come in the wake of last year's media storm over at least three Horribles floats that mocked a rise in teenage pregnancies in Gloucester. The most visible float — which earned a cash prize — included a large depiction of a penis and the distribution of condoms to the crowd.
The float drew the condemnation of Gloucester Mayor Carolyn Kirk and attracted national media attention when a video of the parade spread via YouTube. The controversy led to a meeting among Kirk and fellow mayors Bill Scanlon of Beverly and Kim Driscoll of Salem to denounce such displays.
The Salem Willows Horribles Parade also included spoofs of Gloucester's teen pregnancy problem, but none were as graphic as the Beverly Farms float. Liz Fleming, one of the Salem parade organizers, said no changes have been made for this year's parade there.
"It'll be going off just the same as it always has, and hopefully nothing will be distasteful, with luck," she said.
Schetzsle said volunteer organizers in Beverly Farms weren't prepared for last year's media onslaught, which included television trucks parked outside the homes of some of the organizers. This year, each float participant must name a contact person for the media to call in case of any controversy.
"The parade has been going on for 130 years, and at some point nobody thought to adjust to the fact that we live in a YouTube world now," Schetzsle said. "The community is not just Beverly Farms and Prides Crossing but potentially the world."
Schetzsle said five members of the organizing committee will review the floats before the parade. According to parade rules, "No racial, religious, or ethnic slurs, explicit sexual content of any kind, as determined by the judges, will be tolerated. Alcoholic beverages by participants will not be tolerated."
Schetzsle said the people who will review the floats are longtime residents who are "well-equipped to determine community standards."
"It's a very fine line, but we want people to be able to express what they have to say," he said. "We also want to make sure they do it responsibly and make sure they're accountable for the things that they say."
The organizing committee has also banned the throwing of candy or any other items from floats as a safety measure. Items may be handed out by people walking alongside floats.
The parade is privately run and funded by the Beverly Farms-Prides Crossing Fourth of July Committee, which awards prizes of $500, $300 and $200 to the top three floats in the Horribles division. There is also prize money in the theme and junior divisions.
Schetzsle said the parade, which starts at 8 a.m. on Oak Street, is only part of the annual Fourth of July celebration in the Farms that includes fireworks, a cookout, scavenger hunt, softball game and house decorating contest.
"We don't want to do anything that jeopardizes the fireworks and other parts of the celebration that are bigger than the parade," he said.
Paul Leighton can be reached at pleighton@gloucestertimes.com.
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