What to buy for a St. Martin’s parade

A St. Martin’s parade needs more than lanterns. You’ll need safe route markers, visible lighting, warm drinks or soup, serving equipment, and reliable communication for guides and traffic marshals. Buy disposable and non-perishable supplies early, then chill drinks and prepare the soup base on the day. Check every lantern and LED tea light before distribution, and bring spare batteries, charging cables and extension equipment so the route does not depend on one power source.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Party tentsqty 2
Foldable tablesqty 8
Folding chairsqty 40
Tablecloth coversqty 8
Coat racksqty 2

Decorations

St. Martin's flagsqty 10
Paper garlandsqty 12
Paper starsqty 40
Lanternsqty 120
Lantern polesqty 120
LED tea lightsqty 150
Reflective ribbonsqty 30
Arrows for route signsqty 20
Chalkboard standsqty 4

Lighting

LED string lightsqty 6
Work lightsqty 4
Extension cordsqty 6
Cable reelsqty 3

Equipment

Portable speakersqty 2
Wireless microphonesqty 2
Music player
Walkie-talkiesqty 8
Megaphone
Power banksqty 6
Charging cablesqty 8
Power stripsqty 6
Thermos flasksqty 8
Soup kettlesqty 3

Kitchen

Large soup ladlesqty 4
Serving spoonsqty 4
Cutting boardsqty 4
Chef's knifeqty 4
Measuring cupsqty 3
Mixing bowlsqty 4
Food warmersqty 4

Tableware

Soup bowlsqty 130
Mugsqty 130
Water glassesqty 130
Teaspoonsqty 130
Soup bowl cratesqty 4

Catering

Serving traysqty 8
Bread basketsqty 6
Drink dispensersqty 4
Coolersqty 4
Thermos cupsqty 20
Groceries
- Vegetable soup - 30 liters
- Tomato soup - 20 liters
- Whole wheat baguettes - 15 pieces
- White baguette - 15 pieces
- Unsalted butter - 2 kilos
- Herb butter - 10 tubs
- Cheese slices - 3 kilos
- Ham slices - 2 kilo
- Hummus - 10 tubs
- Apples - 12 kilos
- Bananas - 8 kilos
- Grapes - 6 kilos
- Speculaas cookies - 12 packs
- Pepernoten - 8 kilo
- Spiced cookie bits - 6 kilo
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 8 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Apple juice - 8 cartons
- Multivitamin drink - 8 cartons
- Spa Blauw - 12 bottles
- Spa Rood - 8 bottles
- Beer - 6 crates
- Alcohol-free beer - 2 crates
- Hot chocolate - 20 liters
- Cocoa powder - 2 kilos
- Whipped cream - 12 cans
- Marshmallows - 6 bags
- Coffee - 3 kilos
- Tea assortment - 250 bags
- Sugar - 3 kilos
- Milk - 12 liters
- Oat milk - 6 liters
- Lemon - 2 kilos
- Honey - 3 jars
- Chai spices - 500 gram
- Cinnamon - 250 gram
- Nutmeg - 100 grams
- Salt - 500 grams
- Pepper - 250 gram
- Vegetable stock - 2 boxes
- Soup vegetables - 12 kilos
- Onions - 5 kilo
- Garlic - 5 bulbs
- Carrots - 6 kilos
- Leeks - 5 kilos
- Diced tomatoes - 20 cans
- Tomato paste - 10 cans
- Olive oil - 2 liters
- Ketchup - 3 bottles
- Mayonnaise - 3 bottles
- Mustard - 3 bottles
- Napkins - 1500 pieces
- Paper soup bowls - 150 pieces
- Wooden spoons - 150 pieces
- Paper cups - 300 pieces
- Coffee filters - 250 pieces
- Tea filters - 100 pieces
- Coffee stirrers - 300 pieces
- Milk cups - 300 pieces
- Sugar sachets - 500 pieces
- Aluminum foil - 2 rolls
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 100 pieces
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- Disinfectant wipes - 6 packs
- Cleaning vinegar - 4 bottles
- Toilet cleaner - 4 bottles
- Paper towels - 12 packs
- Hand sanitizer - 6 bottles

Safety

Traffic barriersqty 12
Reflective vestsqty 20
Flashlightsqty 10
First aid kitsqty 2
Fire blanketsqty 2
Non-slip matsqty 8
Barrier tapeqty 4

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 8
Hand broomsqty 4
Dustpan and brushqty 4
Mopsqty 4
Cleaning spongesqty 8
Storage binsqty 12

Tips

Plan one lantern and one LED tea light for every participant, plus at least 10% extra for breakages, missing batteries or late arrivals. Test every light before the lantern distribution starts.
For soup, prepare one serving per registered participant and add 10% extra. Bring enough large soup ladles, serving spoons and thermos flasks or soup kettles to serve without creating a queue.
Use route arrows and reflective ribbons at every turn, crossing and low-light section. Put up the signs before participants arrive, and keep spare arrows and chalkboard stands available for last-minute changes.
Allow one walkie-talkie for each route guide or key marshal, with at least two spare units. Charge the radios, power banks and wireless microphones beforehand and pack the correct charging cables.
Bring more lighting than the parade itself appears to need: LED string lights for gathering points, work lights for setup and cable reels or extension cords for fixed equipment. Keep cables away from walking routes and protect crossings from trip hazards.

Frequently asked questions

How many lanterns do I need for a St. Martin’s parade?: Plan one lantern per participant and buy at least 10% extra. For 80 registered participants, that means 88 lanterns, with one LED tea light for each lantern plus spares.
How much soup should I buy for a St. Martin’s parade?: Calculate one serving per registered participant and add 10% for volunteers, seconds and unexpected arrivals. For 100 people, prepare about 110 servings and bring enough soup kettles, thermos flasks and ladles to serve it hot.
What lighting is needed for a lantern parade?: Use LED tea lights in the lanterns, LED string lights at the start and finish, and work lights for setup and darker areas. Check all lights at least one day before the parade and pack spare power banks, batteries or charging cables.
How early should I buy supplies for a St. Martin’s parade?: Buy lanterns, decorations, route signs and lighting at least 2–3 weeks beforehand so you have time to test and replace faulty items. Buy fresh food and chill drinks 1–2 days before, then set up non-perishable supplies before participants arrive.

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