East Falls Halloween Parade

The East Falls Halloween Parade and Block Party returns on Saturday, October 24, for its eighth year. It's a neighborhood tradition hosted by the Rutabaga Toy Library, and it's built around a simple, family-friendly afternoon: a parade through the streets of East Falls, followed by a block party with activities, a costume contest, and live entertainment.

The parade is the main event, and it's a local one—the kind of thing where you'll see neighbors you recognize and kids in costumes they've been working on for weeks. The route runs through the neighborhood, and the whole thing is put on by the Rutabaga Toy Library, which has been running this particular parade for eight years now. Once the walking is done, the party shifts into the block party side of things, with kids' activities and a costume contest for anyone who wants to show off their outfit.

It's a neighborhood-scale celebration, and the venue makes it easy to drop in. The Wissahickon Brewing Company is right in East Falls at 3705 West School House Lane, so it's a convenient spot for families in the area. The day runs from 3 PM to 6 PM, with gathering starting at 3 PM and the parade starting promptly at 3:30 PM—so if you're planning to march, you'll want to be there by the start.

Between the parade, the activities, the costume contest, and the live entertainment, there's enough to keep you around for the full afternoon. It's a family-friendly affair, and since it's the eighth year, it's become a bit of a neighborhood fixture. Gathering starts at 3 PM, the parade kicks off at 3:30 PM, and the whole thing wraps up by 6 PM.