On the evening of Oct. 31, as temperatures fell from a comfortable 63 degrees down to a bracing 45, Northalsted Business Alliance presented its 27th Annual Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade.
Despite the chill in the air, there were an estimated 638 registered participants, many of them marching down North Halsted Street from Belmont to Brompton Avenues, with the festivities ending with cash awards for costumes, a live performance from Molly and Alex from Too Much Molly and drag performances from parade marshals SCYLLA, Auntie Heroine, Aurora Gozmic and host Batty Davis.
As is typical of this Northalsted festivity, the parade featured expected hits from years past (a Monster Truck segment, fire breathing courtesy of Full Moon Jam, a group zombie stomp to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” and performances by Lakeside Pride and Chicago Spirit Brigade) with witty and unique new ideas.
Among the entrants were two people who came as Kamala Harris (with no Donald Trump in sight); Optimus Prime from the Transformers movies; a nuclear family as the Simpsons; the chorus line from The Rocky Horror Picture Show; twin Elvis Presleys; a baby-eating wolf and his demonic Little Red Riding Hood; Hannibal Lecter; several entrants fresh from Day of the Dead festivities; at least three minotaurs; inflatable giant babies; a full sized condom; a forest goddess a blood-splattered murderous giant bunny; and a host of others.
When the awards were doled out, the creative trophy went to Baby Yoda DJ, with the group award going to a pair of minotaurs. The ‘best character’ winner was Optimus Prime and the ‘Under 13’ winner went to a headless chef, with the ‘scariest’ winner being a Grim Reaper.
