Plans are well underway for the 2013 City of Allentown Halloween Parade. The parade will step-off from the Allentown Fairgrounds on Sunday, October 20 at 2:00pm. It will proceed on 17th Street to Hamilton Street and will conclude at Ninth Street. The rain date for the parade is Sunday, October 27.

This year’s parade lineup promises to be a diverse and exciting showcase of Allentown’s Halloween spirit! Several groups and organizations are participating in the parade for the first time. Two notable additions are the Kutztown University Marching Band and the Freedom High School Marching Band.

New for the 2013 parade will be some pre-parade festivities! In front of the Allentown Public Library, Mother Goose will be on site along with Allentown Public Library staff to read some Halloween stories. The Alternative Art Gallery will be stationed at 10th & Hamilton streets to do live artwork and create a spooky Halloween mural. Additionally, there will be a pre-parade musical performance by the James Supra Blues Band beginning at about 1:15pm, also at 10th & Hamilton streets.

The Awards Ceremony will immediately follow the conclusion of the parade, and will take place outdoors at the Judges’ Reviewing Stand at 10th & Hamilton Streets. Trophies will be presented to winners of each prize category: School Marching Bands, Floats, and Marching Groups. Special performances by local dance groups will include Youth Education in the Arts’ XCAPE Hip Hop Dance Group, the Hispanic American League of Artists (HALA) and Small Steps Big Dreams Dance and Winter Guard.

The 2nd Annual Zombie Walk will kick-off the start of the parade! Dorney Park’s Haunt will play a large role in the Zombie Walk this year, contributing professional zombies, hearses and a float. Visit www.facebook.com/allentownhalloweenparade to sign up for the Zombie Walk event. Interested zombie participants should plan to arrive at 1:15pm at the Allentown Fairgrounds entrance at Liberty & N. St. Cloud streets to line-up and lead-off the parade.

“The Allentown Halloween Parade is a city tradition dating back to 1905,” said Randy Cope, Recreation Program Manager. “It’s exciting to see the creativity and talent that comes from the variety of groups who participate in the parade each year.”

UGI Utilities and National Penn bank are on board as band sponsors again for the 2013 Allentown Halloween Parade. Alvin H. Butz, Inc. is also a contributing sponsor.

Allentown Halloween Parade partners include Youth Education in the Arts, Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, the Hamilton District Main Street program and the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, please visit www.allentownpa.gov/parks and click on “Halloween Parade” or email Christy.Alvord@allentownpa.gov. Questions may also be directed to the Parks and Recreation Office at 610-437-7750.
 
Trick-or-Treat will be held in the city on Friday, October 25 from 6pm-to-8pm. 
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