On Thursday, Oct. 26, the streets of West Chester transformed into a scene similar to that of Halloween Town for the annual Halloween parade. Prior to the beginning of the event, families, children, students and residents of West Chester rushed to find the perfect spot to watch the floats and bands and catch the enormous amounts of candy being tossed into the air. The parade kicked off at approximately 7 p.m., starting on Market Street and making its way through the crowded streets.
The festivities began with West Chester University’s Incomparable Golden Rams Marching Band.
The band performed to their greatest potential as if millions were watching them, like they had last Thanksgiving in the famous New York Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The Golden Rams marching band has made multiple appearances, including at the Philadelphia Phillies World Series games and at multiple NFL games.
Miss West Chester University 2016 Ashley Lyles also participated in the parade, riding by waving to the parade onlookers.
Local high school marching band performances included West Chester East, Henderson and Rustin High Schools, which seemed to get the crowd on their feet every time their music filled the streets.
Cheerleading performances by Bishop Shanahan, West Chester East, Henderson and Rustin High Schools elevated the excitement in the crowd.
When there was a pause between performances, there was still plenty of entertainment.
The crowd came dressed to impress in costumes, varying from Yoda from Star Wars to ballerinas and superheroes. Even a high school band came dressed as characters from the Harry Potter movie series.
Floats seized the streets with candy being hurled into the crowd. A local karate studio put on their own show as they karate-chopped blocks of wood.
Restaurants remained open for parade-goers to come in to get a bite to eat. Lorenzo and Son’s Pizza had to have been the favored choice, considering their signature extra large slices.
Despite the sudden drop in temperature compared to last week’s warm weather, the annual parade brought the West Chester community together to indulge in the spirit of Halloween.
Taylor Tosheff is a fourth-year student majoring in communication studies with a minor in journalism. She can be reached at TT801606@wcupa.edu.