Adams Township Halloween parade
ADAMS TWP — Superheroes, monsters and animals took over Adams Township Community Park Saturday afternoon, Oct. 11.
At the annual Adams Township Halloween party and parade, local families and their children put their love for Halloween on full display, hoping that their costumes — whether it be a princess, a skeleton or cookie monster — would be recognized by the judges as the best in one of four categories: cutest, funniest, most creative and best group.
Around 70 elementary school-age children and their families registered for this year’s party and parade at the Adams Township Municipal Building. While showing their costumes to the judges, the children also got to see firetrucks from local emergency services up close.
The families marched from municipal building through the park, down to the pavilion where the party with treats was held, as the children danced to The Monster Mash and The Addams Family.
The Horning family’s three children — Bellimy, Hayes and Briar — were an example in the range of costume choices the children went with to compete with one another. Hayes, who won most creative costume, was dressed as a character from video game Minecraft. Specifically, he was an iron golem.
Briar went with an icon everybody recognizes: Spiderman. Meanwhile, Bellimy said she was dressed as a character from Kpop Demon Hunters, a kids movie that came out this summer.
The three siblings were among the crowd of children who were amped for Halloween this year, for a number of reasons.
“Easy, it’s not even the candy, it’s staying up late! And I love eating the candy too,” Bellimy said.
Many of the families said this was not the first time they’ve gone to the Adams Township Halloween parade, and that they’ve always looked forward to it as October comes and the holiday inches closer.
“My favorite part is dressing up and going in the firetrucks,” Hayes said.
The Asher family won the best group costume, with their kids dressed as the Cat in the Hat, as well as Thing One and Thing Two. Christa Lancaster, who was dressed as big bird while her children were dressed as the Cookie Monster, won the funniest costume.
This was Brian Perry’s third year running the Halloween parade and party as the Adams Township parks and recreation director, and he said the range of costumes and fun, competitive atmosphere is normal for the annual event.
Children in attendance received gift bags, which included reflective trick or treat bags, a glow stick and a pamphlet about trick or treat safety tips.
“The first year I was here it was chilly and rainy, last year was hotter, but the kids still enjoy running around in their costumes,” Perry said. “I think that’s a big thing for them, and we’ve also tried to gear this toward safety awareness for Halloween too.”
