On the evening of October 28th, community members of all ages flooded the streets of downtown State College for the annual Halloween Parade. Decked out in costume, the parade had hundreds of participants, not to mention countless volunteer judges, category leaders, and the State High Marching Band leading the parade.

The parade has been a State College tradition for generations and celebrated its 72nd anniversary this year. Though the parade is occasionally canceled or moved indoors due to inclement weather, the phrase “rain or shine” seems to be the guiding principle. This dedication to the Halloween tradition was demonstrated this year when temperatures dropped to the 30s and pouring rain persisted for most of the evening. Despite the less-than-festive conditions, the streets were once again flooded with families, students, and everyone in between, not willing to sacrifice the beloved State College tradition for regulated body heat.

All participants of the parade are expected to dress up and walk in their category of choice. Categories, marked by volunteers with tall wooden signs, included Animals on Parade, Group Costumes, and Unique and Original, among others. The parade begins downtown and proceeds to Memorial Field, where volunteer judges choose first, second, and third place winners from every category. The State High Marching Band, with elaborate costume themes for every rank, accompanies the judging with typical pep rally fare: pop music arrangements and well-loved classics.

State High students were involved in all aspects of the parade this year, including category leaders, musical entertainment provided by the Marching Band, and parade participants. Madison Tambroni, sophomore, led the Books and TV costume category and provided general information for participants. “One of the best costumes I saw was a family in my group that was dressed up as the characters from Mary Poppins. Even the baby was in a little lion costume. Adorable,” Tambroni said.

The Halloween Parade has been a family favorite for generations and is a tradition that is sure to continue, rain or shine, for years to come. “My favorite part of the parade was seeing the happiness on each of the kid’s faces while they walked with pride and confidence in their costumes down the streets and in front of the judges,” Tambroni concluded.