Haunted Halloween Parade Marks 30 Years
Northalsted Business Alliance celebrated the parade's 30th anniversary with a new festival on October 31.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in LGBTQ+
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Northalsted Business Alliance marked the 30th anniversary of its Haunted Halloween Parade on October 31, adding an hours-long festival to the day's festivities. The parade featured monster trucks, a zombie squad performing to Michael Jackson's "Thriller," fire eaters, and human pyramids.
Why it matters
The milestone anniversary highlights the event's longevity as a neighborhood tradition in Chicago's Northalsted area. The added festival extends the celebration beyond the parade route, bringing performances and family activities to the community.
The parade marks 30 years, and the festival featured three bouncy houses in its kids' section alongside musical acts, circus-inspired performances, and artisans. Attendance figures and total cash prize amounts were not released.
The players
Northalsted Business Alliance
The Northalsted Business Alliance is a Chicago business association that organizes neighborhood events in the Northalsted area, including the Haunted Halloween Parade.
Ald. Bennett Lawson
Ald. Bennett Lawson represents Chicago's 44th Ward and appeared in the parade dressed as Mayor Vaughn from Jaws.
The details
The festival, added to the parade's annual festivities, included musical acts, circus-inspired performances, artisans, crafts, and jugglers along Aldean and Brompton Avenues on Halsted Street. Co-hosts Batty Davis and Lilith Towers presided over a costume pageant with cash prizes for categories including scariest costume and group costume.
Timeline
October 31: Haunted Halloween Parade 30th anniversary celebration and festival held in Northalsted.
Culture Shift
The parade's three decades on Halsted Street reflect the long-running role of Northalsted as a public street-level hub for Chicago's LGBTQ+ community. The festival's family-oriented additions suggest the celebration is broadening beyond its original nightlife-focused audience.
Chicago residents and visitors can attend the Halsted Street festival, which included performances, crafts, and a family-friendly kids' section. The event's cash-prize costume pageant offered local participants a direct way to take part in the celebration.
The takeaway
Long-running neighborhood traditions like Northalsted's Haunted Halloween Parade often grow by adding new community programming. Residents interested in similar events can check local business alliance calendars for upcoming festivals.
Further reading
Explore more LGBTQ+ stories and community events shaping Chicago's neighborhoods.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Windy City Times.
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