Neighborhood Halloween Parade

One of the great things about the holidays, is that it brings people together. Most of the year people are too busy with sports, activities, running around doing errands, that we forget we live in a community with other people.

Feel like you dont know who is in your neighborhood, but would like to meet your neighbors? Trying putting together a Neighborhood Halloween Parade.

Below are some guidelines (from ehow.com) on how to put one together. I am organizing one for our neighborhood and so far everyone is excited about it. Be creative and just have fun!
http://www.ehow.com/how_4494971_stag...en-parade.html


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If you’d like to try something different for Halloween this year, think about staging a neighborhood parade. In some communities Halloween parades are now a tradition equal in appeal to trick-or-treating. Families have the fun of putting together miniature floats, planning colorful costumes and bike decorations, and making treats to contribute to the dessert table at the end of the parade route. Planning a Halloween parade the first year is a sizable undertaking, but once everyone knows how it works, there will be plenty of eager volunteers by the time next October rolls around.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions

Step 1

Deliver fliers and/or send e-mails to neighbors inviting kids to participate in the Halloween parade. Set a date and a time; just before dusk on the Sunday afternoon before the holiday is a good choice. Explain that the kids will wear their costumes and either walk or ride their bikes. Little ones can be dressed up and pushed in strollers by older kids.

Step 2

Contact your local police department and ask to have the street (probably two blocks) officially closed for the hour or so it will take the parade to run its course. Invite a police officer to attend the parade; law enforcement public relations people often will fulfill this request.

Step 3

Invite neighbors over about 2 weeks before the parade to construct some simple “floats.” Use a wagon—or any toy with wheels--as a base. Ideas for floats include white sheets with black felt eyes, draped over inverted trashcans serving as a family of ghosts, an empty refrigerator box turned into a scary looking haunted house (with a battery operated CD player emitting howls from its interior), or a large exercise ball covered with orange tissue and decorated like a huge jack-o-lantern.

Step 4

Include neighbors without children in the fun. They can be a part of the crowd or help construct floats. Ask neighbors to invite grandparents and other relatives to increase the size of the crowd. Consider asking parents in adjoining neighborhoods to bring their kids to watch. Ask everyone to bring flashlights which they can use to spotlight the parade entries and walkers as they go by.

Step 5

Get everyone together an hour or so before the parade for bike decorating. Supply orange and black crepe paper streamers as well as orange and black helium balloons with long strings, which can be tied to bike handles or wrists of kids walking the parade. Consider purchasing several really large Mylar balloons shaped like ghosts and goblins; space these out throughout the length of the parade.

Step 6

Line the kids up right before the parade. As a surprise, give them each a couple of neon green glow-stick necklaces to wear. Assign someone to help set the pace of the parade by telling each child when to start the walk. Have another adult at the end of the parade to gather kids together and encourage them to watch the rest of the parade finish the route.

Step 7

Celebrate the success of the parade by serving potluck refreshments on a candle-lit table. Ask everyone to bring items such as taffy apples, popcorn or popcorn balls, decorated cookies or cupcakes, doughnuts, pretzels, and candy bars or individual bags of candy. Serve apple cider or orange drink.