Considered one of the most haunted neighborhoods in the Midwest, Irvington residents are proud of their unique ‘hood and for the 79th year, they put on a show like no other.
On Thursday night, Oct. 2, bring the kids to A Night Out in Sleepy Hollow at 6:30 p.m. on the Irving Circle Park (south circle on Audubon) for scary stories and a performance by the Black Hat Society (free admission, dress for the weather). On Friday, Oct. 24, the Zombie Bike Ride starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Irvington Library, 5625 E. Washington St. for a costumed ride through Irvington, ending at the south circle. If you don’t ride, you can come out to cheer them on the route (see irvingtonhalloween.com/zombie-bike-ride for a map). The Irvington Ghost Tours also run Friday and Saturday nights beginning at 7 p.m. at the Irving Theatre on the corner of E. Washington and Johnson — Friday will be a busy night in the IRV!
On Saturday, Oct. 25, East Washington will be closed between Ritter and Arlington at 4 a.m. for the festivities. In addition, Bonna Ave. will be closed. The Vampire Run begins at 9:30 a.m., so don’t be surprised to see hundreds of costumed runners and walkers dashing through the neighborhood! The Street Fair begins at 10 a.m., and expect big crowds, great costumes (both for humans and dogs, food, vendors, and a chance to be a part of a unique tradition. Kids will find all sorts of activities in the Kid Zone at the corner of Bonna and Audubon, and adults can find refreshments in the Beer Garden on East Washington in the Starbucks parking lot area. All of it ends with the Marty Powell Costume parade that begins at 4:30 p.m. (line up begins at 4 p.m.). For a detailed listing of contests and performances, visit irvingtonhalloween.com/street-fair, or pick up one of last week’s Weekly View supplements at Hampton & Co. or at the Historic Irvington Community Council booth on the corner of Audubon and Washington (check out their swag while you’re there). The last Ghost Tour of the season will be on the 25th, meeting at 7 p.m.
Official parking for the Festival can be found at Irvington Plaza (6401 E. Washington) and Howe Middle School for $5 (4900 Julian Ave.). There will be shuttle buses going to and from the festival until 5:30 p.m., but the buses are NOT handicap accessible. Handicap parking can be found in the Snips parking lot behind the main stage. Please inform the officer that you require handicap parking.
The work of a lot of volunteers behind the scenes of this year’s Historic Irvington Halloween Festival make everything possible. Planning the week-long affair starts about a week after the Street Festival on Saturday, giving everyone a little time to recuperate.
Officially, Halloween trick-or-treat times in Indianapolis are on Friday, Oct. 31 from 6-8 p.m. In Beech Grove, hours are 5:30-8:30 p.m., Lawrence from 6-8 p.m. IMPD will be patrolling neighborhoods to ensure everyone has a safe time, and the Fire Department will also host trick-or-treaters at their fire stations.
