Join Democrats from across the 21 counties of the 3rd Congressional District at parades near you this summer.

Parades are visibility events that give us the opportunity to show our support for candidates like Congresswoman Cindy Axne, Amiral Mike Franken, and Deidre DeJear. When we show up, Democrats on the sidelines realize they are not alone…and when lots of Dems are walking in the parade, we can make an even bigger impact. So participate in not just your own county parade but also in neighboring counties’ parades too.

Parade Tips and Tricks

• Message your candy. Use return address labels or tape printed handouts to each piece of candy so each Tootsie Roll or Laffy Taffy makes an even bigger impact. You can download and print labels for candy here (sized for Avery 8160/5160 return address labels).
• Hand out county-specific literature. Make some yourself or get help from the IDP.
• Wear comfortable shoes, weather-appropriate attire (a campaign or Democratic party shirt if you’ve got it), and don’t forget the sunscreen. Need a t-shirt to wear? Head to the Axne Store, Franken Store, Deidre Store, or IDP Store. Just make sure to order it several weeks ahead of time.
• Bring water bottles in a cooler for parade walkers. This summer will be hot, so let’s stay hydrated.
• Bring voter registration forms with you – you never know when you’ll meet an Iowan who needs to register as a Democrat or update their address. Plus, if you have time before the parade starts, you can canvass the streets and register more voters for Democrats.
• Parades are supposed to be loud, so get a chant going. We recommend a call/answer chant where one person shouts “CINDY” and the rest of the walkers respond “AXNE”. But feel free to have fun with this one and personalize your chant to the parade.