TOMS RIVER – Is that Michael Myers peaking around the corner? No, it’s just the Halloween parade.
The Toms River Fire Company No. 1 is again bringing this beloved tradition to the downtown area for the 85th time.
“We invite everyone to join us for an evening of festive floats, creative costumes, and family-friendly entertainment. Whether you’re participating in the parade or cheering from the sidelines, this event is sure to be a highlight of the season,” fire officials said.
On October 31 – which is a Thursday this year – the parade will start promptly at 7 p.m. at its normal kick-off location: the corner of Main Street and Highland Parkway. The parade will travel south on Main Street (Route 9) turning left onto Washington Street. The parade ends at the intersection of Washington Street and Hooper Avenue.
If you are marching, you should be in the Toms River Shopping Center no later than 6 p.m. Group Leaders are urged to inform all of the participants in your group that they are in a walking or a float division. Let them know the letter and number of the group. Everyone will enter the parade route from Highland Parkway.
Participants must register in person at the firehouse on Robbins Street in Toms River. The registration is on October 31 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The parade known as the second largest Halloween parade in the world, behind the one in Greenwich Village in New York. Many downtown businesses will be open. There will also be scarecrows on display. Another tradition is that windows of downtown businesses will be painted with spooky imagery.
If the parade is postponed, it will be November 1 at 7 p.m.
For more information, please call Toms River Fire Co. No. 1 at 732-349-0144 or email them at Cweingroff@trfire.org or visit facebook.com/trfchalloweenparade.
