For 71 years, Irvington has celebrated Halloween like few communities can. When the Halloween Festival started, it was a way for neighborhood kids to celebrate safely, and their parents to have some fun as well. Over the years the festival has grown into a huge week-long affair, with events for everyone. Kicking off with the wildly successful Masquerade Ball on Oct. 21 for grown-ups, to the standing-room-only crowds for the Slightly Haunted Puppet Show for kids at the Irving Oct. 23 and 24, the Art Auction at the Bona Thompson Memorial Center Oct. 23, plus scary story readings, organ concerts, and lots more, the Historic Irvington Halloween Festival will officially conclude Oct. 28 at the Street Fair. The Street Fair last year drew record attendance, with over 50,000 attendees eating, shopping, and visiting Historic Irvington. Check out East Washington between Ritter and just east of Audubon, south on Audubon to Bonna Ave. and Bonna back to Ritter for hundreds of booths, activity areas, and food trucks (plus beer tent). The highlight of the day is the parade, which this year has been officially dubbed the Marty Powell Memorial Parade, at 4 p.m., when costumed kids, families, and dogs (and maybe a pet chicken) parade from Irvington Methodist Church south to Bonna Ave. on Audubon to hoots and cheers from the crowd. This year, Jeff Mudgett, the great-great grandson of serial killer H. H. Holmes, will be the parade marshal. Also look for the Black Hat Society, a fun local group of “good witches” dancing in the parade. The Street Festival begins at 10 a.m. and lasts 5 p.m. with an after-party at Playground Productions on Bonna Ave. (tickets $10) with music and a laser show. The final Irvington Ghost Tour of the season will take place at 7 p.m. and meet at 10 S. Johnson ($15 cash only).
Halloween is officially on Oct. 31, when kids young and old beg for treats throughout the city. The official trick-or-treat hours in Indianapolis will be from 6-8 p.m. All fire stations will be giving out treats; IMPD Southeast District headquarters at 1150 Shelby St. will hand out treats from 3-7 p.m. It’s a great way for your kids to make friends with our local public safety professionals!
Beech Grove trick-or-treat hours are 5-8 p.m. Greenfield will have a city-wide trick-or-treat event Oct. 29 from 4-7 p.m., but on Oct. 31, hours are 5-8 p.m. The City of Lawrence official hours are from 6-8 p.m.
As of the weather reports on Oct. 24, the weather on Saturday should be overcast and about 50 degrees. Dress warm, stay safe, and have a great Halloween!
