Halloween Parade in Temple, Pennsylvania

The Temple Halloween parade is all about good clean small town fun and family entertainment. It's sponsored by the Muhlenberg Township Parks & Recreation Department (www.muhlenbergtwp.com).

If you're interested in participating in the Temple, PA Halloween parade, there's almost no limit to what you can do to be part of the fun.

You can walk, ride or enter a float for your business, organization, club, school, neighborhood or family. Or, you can enter a car, car group, truck, fire vehicle, ride on bicycle, horseback, motorcycle, wagon, tractor, roller skates or any other moving device. One year I spotted a rolling coffin ... and the Shriners always have a group of midget cars running around in circles.

Parade participants often hand out treats along the parade route, so bring along your Treat Bag or Basket to hold your goodies. No candy-throwing allowed, but you can hand out treats to parade viewers along the route.

In order to participate, you need to submit an application before the date of the parade. Start time on the first Saturday in October is 6PM. If the parade is held on the next day (Sunday) due to rain delay, the step off time is earlier, at 4PM.

All participants are announced as they pass by the grandstand. Over 75 groups including High School Bands, car groups, Fire Companies, small and large costumed groups, and youth groups participate each year. This year's parade marshall will be Nate DeLuca. The parade begins at the Muhlenberg Elementary Center and travels north up Kutztown Road and turns left onto Mt. Laurel Avenue. Prizes are awarded for various groups.

The Temple Halloween Parade attracts thousands of visitors to this small Pennsylvania town, and the residents in the village go all out to decorate their homes for Halloween.

We caught the parade after dark this year. It was a perfect evening - nearly full moon, a few scraggly clouds drifted over the moon now and then (a real Halloween night natural special effect) and temperatures in the low sixties. Near the end of the parade we saw the coolest car entry: a tricked out Halloween hearse in flat black with kicking legs protruding from the front grill, big fins and spider webs all over the back of the vehicle (who knows what was inside ... ) and FLAMES shooting straight up from the middle of the hood - from headers perhaps??) every time the driver revved the engine - it was loud, scary and very well done. That automobile was a BIG hit with everyone watching in our area near Hay Road.

Reading Eagle Temple Halloween Parade News Story and Photos

Parade info - 2011 Info coming soon!
Parade Date and Time1st Saturday in October, at 6 PM
Rain Date: Next day (Sunday) @ 4 PM

Parade Route The Halloween Parade begins on Sharp Avenue out to Kutztown Road, then proceeds North on Kutztown Road to Mt. Laurel Avenue in the village, where it turns and ends at 7th Avenue.

Many spectators (young and old alike) wear costumes to the Temple Halloween parade. Meyers Costume Shop, a professional costume supply store, is located on Kutztown Road, in the heart of Temple village - and it's on the parade route.

You can buy or rent costumes and theatrical supplies of all sorts here, or visit nearby malls and party stores to create or enhance your Halloween costume.

Reading Berks Visitors Bureau

Regional Events Calendar, October 2008