THIS WEEKEND IN CHICAGO – Welcoming Halloween – Let the Frights Begin!
When Halloween falls on a Saturday, as it does this weekend, the city pulls out all the stops! Chicagoans can celebrate this holiday by trick-or-treating, participating in parades, attending fests, winning prizes for their costumes, or attending a haunted ball. The choice is yours – choose wisely! Let the Halloween frights begin!!
The 6th annual Arts in the Dark Upside Down Parade is being held this Saturday (12 p.m.-2 p.m.) at Washington Park (5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.). This free event gives children and their families the opportunity to become the parade itself as they join the procession heading down Russell Drive as they wear their favorite Halloween costume. In addition, as they make their way down the route, they will be dazzled by dance teams, musicians, acrobats, sports mascots and other spectacles. And the first 5,000 kids will receive a complimentary candy bag and other goodies at the closing arches!
Are you brave enough to visit the most haunted street in Andersonville? The day begins with the 48th Ward Halloween Parade departing at 10:30 a.m. from Bromann Park (5400 N. Broadway Ave.) and ending at Fright on Farragut this Saturday (11 a.m.-4 p.m.) on Clark Street and Farragut Avenue. Here’s your chance to show off your Halloween costume; dance along with DJ Lexie; partake in interactive spooky games and candy giveaways; or enjoy trick-or-treating in the business district at participating local businesses in Andersonville for candy, toys, and prizes from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition, experience pumpkins, photo fun, and a straw maze at Gethsemane Pumpkin Patch (5739 N. Clark St.) along with face and pumpkin painting for all ages!
Join Harry Caray’s at Navy Pier (700 E. Grand Ave.) this Saturday (11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.) for their annual Howl-O-Ween Pet Costume Contest benefiting PAWS Chicago. Whether your pet is furry, feathered, or full of scales, pets of all kinds are welcome to participate and compete for prizes in the following categories of Most Creative; Spookiest; Best Ensemble or Pair (human/pet or pet pairs); and the Grand Prize of Best in Show. Prizes include a pair of tickets for a dog-friendly SeaDog speedboat ride, passes for the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel, a $25 gift certificate to Harry Caray’s Navy Pier, and more. Plus, throughout the morning, Tito’s Handmade Vodka will host an on-site Yappy Hour featuring samples for humans, a treat bar for pups, a dog tag machine, pet swag, and more. Space is limited, so register your pet today. There’s no better way to celebrate the spooky season than with your pet in tow!
This year’s Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade is celebrating their 30th anniversary and has decided to make it an all-day affair. Therefore, Saturday will begin with the Haunted Halsted Fest (12 p.m.-6 p.m.) on Halsted Street between Aldine Avenue and Addison Street offering a ghoulish good time with food, drinks, live entertainment, street performers, dedicated areas/activities for kids and families, local vendors, and more. Next up will be the Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade (7 p.m.-8 p.m.) featuring impressive group costumes and dancers performing Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” The day will end with the Haunted Halsted Costume Contest & Post-Parade Party (8 p.m.-10 p.m.) where hundreds of entrants will be vying for $4,000 in total cash prizes in 5 categories: character, creative, scary, youth (under 13) and group. You’ll see some of the best Halloween costumes in the city at this popular, well-attended event!
Halloween wouldn’t be complete without Chicago’s Haunted Halloween Ball this Saturday (9 p.m.-2 a.m.) at the 122-year-old Congress Plaza Hotel (520 S. Michigan Ave.) in the South Loop neighborhood and classified as one of the most haunted hotels in the world by USA Today. Combining elements of a lavish VIP nightclub and lounge experience, costumed guests can mingle with spirits and the not-yet-deceased in the hotel’s massive 20,000 square foot ballrooms decked out with spooky decorations, zombie cocktail servers, go-go dancers, and vampire bellmen. In addition, you’ll have access to multiple bars, views of the city’s skyline, and a chance to enter the costume contest and compete for $2,000 in cash and prizes!
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Have a Spooktacular and Frightful Halloween!
Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago
