For many people, a Halloween parade just isn’t a Halloween parade if it doesn’t include marchers throwing candy to costumed, sugar-loving spectators of all ages.
Hellertown’s annual parade is well-known for the sweets that rain down on the thousands of people who line the route to watch it, but keeping those candy showers flowing can be a challenge.
That’s where the Hellertown Post Office comes in.
For the last five years or so, on parade day the post office has doubled as a candy refill station, where the folks who are doing the actual throwing can refill their plastic jack-o-lanterns with enough candy to hopefully last them the rest of the route.
In addition to the post office’s generosity, what makes the refill station possible are donations of bagged candy from local residents who drop them off there in the weeks leading up to the parade.
The Hellertown Post Office has announced that it is now accepting donations of candy for this year’s Hellertown Halloween Parade, which will be held Sunday, Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. (no rain date).
To donate, simply drop off new, unexpired Halloween candy at the post office at 660 Delaware Ave., Hellertown, during regular business hours by Saturday, Oct. 21.
Donations can also be made by contacting Lisa DiRusso, the wife of postmaster Joe DiRusso, directly via Facebook.
This year’s Hellertown Halloween Parade theme is “Celebrating Hometown Heroes” and as usual, the multi-division parade will feature prizes for the winners in a number of categories.
Updates about the bands that will be performing in the parade, parade sponsors, the parade route and more may be found on the Hellertown Halloween Parade Facebook page.
Chaired by Mayor David Heintzelman, the Hellertown Halloween Parade is made possible thanks to the efforts of the volunteer committee that oversees it and the generous donors who fund it.
In addition to the parade, there is an annual community “After the Parade Party” held in Dimmick Park for residents to enjoy. This year’s party will feature food trucks, live music and free hot dogs/water until it’s gone, from 4 to 6 p.m.
A banner advertising the candy refill station hangs near the entrance to the Hellertown Post Office. It’s now time to donate bagged candy to the refill station, which will be in operation on parade day: Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023.