After sundown tomorrow night (Wednesday), Maple Avenue in Vienna will come alive with goblins, ghouls and ghosts from America’s past.
That’s when the town’s annual Halloween Parade is set to return for its milestone 80th anniversary, extending a local tradition that dates back to the end of World War II and a year-long celebration of the country’s semiquincentennial with the theme of “Haunted History: 250 Years of America.”
“To mark this historic milestone, paradegoers can enjoy floats featuring American folklore, historical figures, haunted landmarks and classic Halloween characters like zombies and ghosts,” the Town of Vienna said in a press release.
Set to begin at 7 p.m., the parade will feature more than 100 expected participants, from the Vienna and Fairfax County police departments and various elected officials to representatives of local businesses, schools and community organizations. Anyone else who wishes to march in the parade can convene at United Bank (374 Maple Avenue East) at 6 p.m.
Former state delegate Mark Keam, who represented Vienna in the Virginia General Assembly for 13 years, will lead the procession down Maple Avenue from Branch Road to Center Street as this year’s Grand Marshal.
To accommodate spectators, temporary metal safety fencing will be installed on both sides of Maple Avenue, starting at 2 p.m., eliminating one lane in each direction. Maple Avenue itself will be fully closed from 6:30-11 p.m., but several side streets will be blocked off earlier in the afternoon.
The street closures will start at 1 p.m. with Mill Street from Church Street NE to Maple Avenue East and will continue to be implemented until 6:30 p.m., with the majority of full road closures taking effect at 4:45 p.m.
While the road closures are in effect, traffic will be detoured along Church Street NE, down East Street and onto neighborhood roads in the southeast section of town from Echols Street to Locust Street.
“Crews will also place temporary fencing around the streetscape planter boxes along the parade route to protect plants from inadvertent trampling,” the town noted.
In addition to marching in or viewing the parade, kids can pick up a free goodie bag at the Caffi Field pitching lanes, located on Cherry Street SE between the Vienna Community Center and Vienna Volunteer Fire Department. Bags will be distributed starting at 7:15 p.m. as long as supplies last.
The Vienna Halloween Parade is organized by the town in partnership with the Vienna Business Association.
Vienna has offered a Halloween parade in some form every year since 1946, including in 2020, when the usual mass gathering was reimagined as a “wave parade” that sent about a dozen floats into different neighborhoods.
