New date, earlier parade time and a brand new Halloween Street Festival are just some of the improvements planned for our second Highlands Louisville Halloween Parade in 2016!
Last October we stepped in at the very last minute to sponsor the Highlands Halloween Parade after a 13 year successful run by Caufield’s Novelty, with only weeks to plan and execute the event in order to prevent its cancellation. After listening to public feedback and reviewing the event structure, we’ve spent the winter months planning to revamp the entire event to improve traffic, safety, candy distribution, duration and general fun.
This includes the addition of a brand new Halloween Street Festival on Saturday, October 8, complete with vendors, contests, artists & crafts and entertainment. The new Halloween Festival will be located on Baxter Avenue from Highland to Hepburn on the block that runs in front of Starbucks, Jimmy John’s and Walgreens. Restaurants and other businesses along Baxter and Bardstown Road from Broadway to Mid-City Mall will be included in the fun. We expect the Halloween Festival activities to run from approximately 2 PM until 9 PM, giving everyone (including parade participants) plenty of time to enjoy the festival and the parade.
The parade itself has been moved from its original time slot on Friday night to Saturday afternoon at 4 PM on October 8. This will do two things: It will allow many more individuals and groups, including all the local haunted attractions, to participate in the parade and the festival. It will also reduce the traffic woes for area residents and commuters. Parents will have a much easier time taking their kids to the parade when not having to fight Friday rush hour traffic.
The parade route will be longer this year, running along Baxter Avenue from Broadway to Highland and then along Bardstown Road from Highland to Rosewood, one street beyond Mid-City Mall.
Making the parade fun and safe for kids has been our number one priority in planning the 2016 version of this event. Two volunteers will be provided for each unit to hand out candy this year, so there will be no throwing of candy from parade vehicles. Instead our volunteers will hand it to kids on the sides of the street next to each unit. Also, a sponsor will be secured to provide candy for the event, so there should be plenty for all the trick-or-treaters in attendance.
We will also be installing a rope line of volunteers along the entire route, assisted by the LMPD, to keep spectators off the street and ensure the safety of all attendees.
If you’d like to actually be in the parade this year, you’ll be able to register and pay your fees online for the first time this year. The fee is $100 for commercial units and $10 for all others. There will be a discount if you register ahead of time and a special price if you’d like a booth at the Halloween Festival as well. Unit registration will begin in early August. Watch for further details at www.louisvillehalloweenfest.com.
