🎃👻 Haunted Halsted 2025 – Costumes, Queens & Halloween Dreams! 🌈🎭

🎃👻 Haunted Halsted 2025 – Costumes, Queens & Halloween Dreams! 🌈🎭

Chicago’s legendary LGBTQ+ Halloween celebration returns! in Chicago’s landmark LGBTQ+ Northalsted neighborhood

📅 Friday, October 31, 2025
📍 Halsted St from Belmont Ave to Cornelia Ave
🕢 Parade Kickoff: 7:30 PM at Halsted & Belmont

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Dinner before the parade will be hosted as a separate Meetup event (due to limited spots) at Las Mananitas .
👉 RSVP here for dinner: https://www.meetup.com/windy-city-wanderers/events/311410480

🎭 About the Parade:
The Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade is back for its 28th year — and it’s one of the top ten Halloween parades in the U.S. (Fodor’s Travel)! This is a free-to-watch event filled with jaw-dropping costumes, high-energy performances, and tons of spooky fun.

💰 The spectacular Costume Contest features hundreds of entrants competing for $4,000 in cash prizes, concluding with an awards presentation.

🎤 The 2025 Parade Grand Marshals will be announced soon!

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🔥 Parade Highlights:

• Chicago Full Moon Jam fire performers
• Windy City Jeep Club
• Chicago Thriller dance troupe
• Lakeside Pride Marching Band
• Windy City Rollers
• Chicago Spirit Brigade pep squad

If you’ve never seen this parade, you’re in for a show! The costumes are always fantastic — it’s one of the 10 Best Halloweens in the U.S. (Fodor’s Travel Guide) and ranked #3 Best City for Halloween by Redfin.

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🏆 Costume Contest Details:
$4,000 in total prizes!
Each of the five categories awards:
🥇 $500 (1st Place) 🥈 $200 (2nd Place) 🥉 $100 (3rd Place)
Categories:

• Character: Media, pop culture, celebrity, history
• Creative: Originality, materials, wow factor
• Scary: Spooky, horror-inspired
• Group: Two or more people (one shared prize)
• Youth (<13): Must be accompanied by an adult

🎟 Contest Registration: 6:30 PM – Halsted & Belmont
🎉 Parade Kickoff: 7:30 PM – Halsted & Belmont
🎭 Parade Ends: 8:00 PM – Halsted & Cornelia
🏅 Awards Show: 8:30 PM – Halsted & Brompton (3514 N. Halsted; parking lot)
🍸 Afterparty: 10:00 PM – End of event (optional bar hopping!)

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🍽️ Pre-Parade Dinner (Separate RSVP):
We’ll meet at Halsted & Brompton near Las Mananitas (3523 N. Halsted).
We’re viewing the parade this year toward the end of the route for the best view of the festivities!

🚆 Public Transportation:
A short walk from the CTA Belmont Red/Brown/Purple Line Station or Addison Red Line Station
Plan your trip: CTA Trip Planner
🚗 Driving/Parking:
Street parking available on Halsted, Belmont, or Addison, plus side streets.
Watch for no parking and permit-only signs — some areas will be blocked off for the parade.
Use SpotHero or Parking Whiz for best options.

🐾 Pets: All pets are welcome to march or watch!
🌧️ Weather: The parade goes on rain or snow!

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🚫 No-Show Policy:
Please respect our group’s attendance policy:

• 3 no-shows without updating your RSVP = suspension from future events for 3 months
• Cut-off time to update RSVP is the event start time
• If you miss the start, message the event host directly
• Not checking in with the host counts as a no-show (for walks, tours, or festivals)
• Continued no-shows may result in removal from the group

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🎃👠 Come in costume for even more fun — we’ve done this for several years and it’s always a blast!

Let’s make this Halloween unforgettable in Boystown/Northalsted!