By Brian Trompeter
The annual Vienna Halloween Parade fulfilled a long-standing tradition Oct. 25, thrilling thousands of spectators with colorful floats, marching bands, classic cars and costumed revelers.
The weather was ideal for the occasion: dry and cool, but not uncomfortably so. The parade drew an estimated 30,000 to 35,000 people, a similar or slightly higher total than achieved in recent years, said Lily Widman, special-events coordinator for the Vienna Parks and Recreation Department.
“We definitely had huge crowds at the Town Green and at start and end points” that were larger than last year’s, she said. “We gave out all of the free kids’ goody bags when the parade was less than halfway over, which we’ve never done before. The past two years, we had 100 to 200 left over of the 1,000.”
This year’s theme was “Cartoons and Comics” and many of those who marched in the parade or lined its route along Maple Avenue, E., and Center Street, S., came costumed accordingly.
James Madison High School head baseball coach Mark Gjormand served as grand marshal and waved his ball cap at the crowd while perched on the back seat of a convertible.
With an election coming up about two weeks later, the parade also drew plenty of elected officials and candidates seeking office.
The crowd cheered to driving displays put on by police officers and sheriff’s deputies on motorcycles, firefighters driving a hook-and-ladder truck and Kena Shriners doing close-quarters maneuvers with their orange, Corvette-shaped go carts. Classic cars also plied the route.
Music, provided bagpipe players, high-school bands and the Vienna Jammers Percussion Ensemble, added to the festive atmosphere. Local schools and community organizations also marshaled their creative talents to produce dazzling floats, which were evaluated by judges on the grandstand.
Equestrians from local riding clubs rode their horses down the parade route and dogs were a frequent sight, either in the crowd or traveling with parade participants either on foot or in vehicles.
Sports teams touted their successes, with one team’s float featuring tombstones of rivals it had vanquished.
The Vienna Town Council will honor winners in multiple categories at an upcoming meeting.
