EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce Halloween Parade set to start at 6:30 tonight will carry a “TV Classics” theme throughout.
The parade will take off from the Lincoln Middle School parking lot at Schwarz & West Streets and will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m., then travels east on St. Louis Street to Vandalia Street, then north on North Main Street. The parade will disband at High Street.
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Ed/Glen Chamber president and CEO Desiree Bennyhoff said everything possible is done to provide participants and spectators with a safe environment to enjoy the parade.
She said the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce Halloween Parade has a deep tradition in the two communities, with an estimated crowd of 25,000 spectators lining the streets each year. The parade has been a staple of the communities for nearly 95 years, with marching bands, school groups, organizations, entertainers and more than 100 floats taking to the streets.
Spectator parking is available in the 'super lot' east of Main Street, and on side streets along the parade route. The Jerry's Tire Sales lot is reserved for handicap parking. Portable toilets will be available at Walgreen's, First Clover Leaf Bank and Big Daddy's.
Each year on Halloween night, an estimated crowd of 25,000 spectators line the streets of downtown Edwardsville in anticipation of this annual tradition. The Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce has brought the Halloween parade to the community for nearly 95 years. Marching bands, school groups, organizations, entertainers, and more than 100 floats take to the streets.
This year's sponsors include J.F. Electric, Associated Pediatric Dentistry, 1st MidAmerica Credit Union, Cassens & Sons, Gori Julian Associates, McDonalds, RP Lumber/Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Elite Properties, Commerce Bank, Glik's Department Store, The Goddard School, HireLevel and South Side's All-Star Collision Center.
The Edwardsville Police Department will be out in force protecting the streets tonight during the parade.
Edwardsville Police Major Jeff Mills will be the parade’s grand marshal.
Woodland Elementary student Laura Slater, a previous Edwardsville Police Department Chief for the Day, provided a day off for Mills, but because that wasn’t possible, Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce chose him as the parade marshal.
“Laura wrote me a letter asking if he could have Halloween off because he had worked 27 straight,” Patton said. “It was a very eloquent letter.”
Edwardsville Mayor Hal Patton talked with the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce then back to Laura and said, “why don’t we make him the grand marshal?”
“She loved the idea.” Patton said.
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