Costumed participants march in the 2016 Saucon Valley Spirit Parade in Hellertown borough. This year’s Hellertown Halloween Parade will be held Sunday, Oct. 23 at 2 p.m. (There is no rain date.) The parade will follow a route along W. Walnut Street, Main Street, Water Street, Rentzheimer Drive, Durham Street and Constitution Avenue. (FILE PHOTO)
Now that fall has arrived, it’s time to put important annual events like Halloween parades and Trick-or-Treat nights on calendars.
One of the most beloved fall events in the Saucon Valley area is the Hellertown Halloween Parade. (See below for other local Halloween parade dates and times.)
Known as the Saucon Valley Spirit Parade for roughly a decade, the iconic local parade was rebranded over the summer, but promises to deliver the same smiles as usual.
This year’s parade will be held Sunday, Oct. 23 at 2 p.m. in Hellertown. (There is no rain date for the parade.) Lineup will take place from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the Saucon Valley School District campus.
The parade route will be the familiar loop that begins and ends at district campus on Panther Way. Six divisions comprised of floats, groups, individuals, marching bands, fire trucks, police, emergency vehicles and others will march along Walnut Street to Main Street to Water Street to Rentzheimer Drive to Durham Street to Constitution Avenue before completing the loop back at the schools.
The 2022 parade theme is “Cherishing our Past, Embracing our Future,” which is also the Borough of Hellertown’s motto.
New for 2022 will be a community picnic at Dimmick Park immediately following the parade, with live music by the band GIRLCRU from 4 to 7 p.m. at the bandstand. In addition to complimentary refreshments, there will be food trucks on site, according to the borough. There is a Facebook event listing for the picnic to follow for updates.
Judging during the parade will take place in four different categories, with first, second and third place prizes awarded in the Group, Individual and Float categories, and first place/runner up prizes awarded in the Judges’ Choice (Theme) category. The winners will be announced via the parade Facebook page as well as here on Saucon Source.
The Hellertown Post Office is once again collecting donations of Halloween candy for its candy refill station for floats near the parade route’s halfway point. Donations of bagged, unexpired Halloween candy can be placed in the drop-off box in the post office lobby during regular business hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday. The post office is located at 660 Delaware Ave., Hellertown.
During the parade, the Friends of the Hellertown Area Library will host their annual Bake Sale and Fall fundraiser in front of the library at 409 Constitution Avenue (across from Dimmick Park). In addition to tasty treats and hot coffee the group will have hot dogs, pierogies and drinks for sale starting at noon, as well as a mobile snack cart from which parade spectators will be able to purchase “treats on the go.”
The weekly Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market held next to the library will be open on Sunday, Oct. 23, however some vendors, the information booth and the cafe seating areas will close early, at noon, due to the parade route setup along Constitution Avenue.
Most of the roads that are part of the route will be barricaded by police by 1 p.m., and motorists should expect to encounter detours in the area for the duration of the parade.
More information about detours that will be in place will be shared prior to parade day.
Spectators should also expect to see parade committee volunteers collecting donations along the parade route, to help fund future parades. In additional to individual donors, many local businesses sponsor the parade each year.
According to the Hellertown Halloween Parade Facebook page, as of Saturday, Oct. 8 the following businesses were 2022 band sponsors: Realty Outfitters, Cheyenne Reiman; Bradford D. Wagner, Attorney at Law; Deiter Bros. Fuel Company; Steel Club; Dewire Dental; Trendz of Saucon Valley; Quest Termite and Pest; Exp Realty, The Eric T. Neith Team; American Legion Post 397; and Jim Gardner Insurance and Financial Services Inc.
Additional donations have been received from Unrivaled Nutritional Counseling & Fitness, Hellertown Lions Club, Kevin and Karen Lott, Saucon Valley Lions Club, Hellertown Family Foot Care Inc., Hellertown Historical Society and Reilly Chiropractic.
Trick-or-Treat in Hellertown and Lower Saucon Township will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31. Homes that are participating should turn on exterior/porch lights.
Other Area Halloween Parade Dates:
- Coopersburg Halloween Parade: Sunday, Oct. 16 at 3 p.m. in downtown Coopersburg (rain date: Oct. 23)
- Quakertown Halloween Parade: Sunday, Oct. 16 at 2 p.m. in downtown Quakertown (rain date: Oct. 23)
- Springtown Halloween Parade: Sunday, Oct. 30 at 1 p.m. Line-up is at noon on Woodbyne Road.
- Bethlehem Halloween Parade: Sunday, Oct. 30 at 2 p.m., West Broad & Main sts., Downtown Bethlehem (rain date: Nov. 6)
- Phillipsburg Easton Halloween Parade: Sunday, Oct. 30 at 3 p.m., McKeen Street, Phillipsburg to Centre Square, Easton