112th Northern Lehigh Halloween parade on tap for Saturday

The 112th Northern Lehigh Halloween Parade will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday. The rain date is 6 p.m. Sunday.

Sponsored by the Northern Lehigh Events Committee, the theme of this year’s parade is Myth, Monsters and Legends, according to Tiffany Rehrig-Schaeffer, parade chairwoman.

“We usually come up with ones that we think would make for interesting submissions, and we pick one of those,” Rehrig-Schaeffer said.

Rehrig-Schaeffer said this year’s submissions include the Loch Ness Monster by Copeechan Fishing Game and Club; Lady in White Scene by Express Lawn Care; Black Beard the Pirate by the Northern Lehigh Girl Scouts; and the Dragon Pearl Legend by Cub Scout Pack 66.

“We do try to keep in mind how much creativity it would prompt from our participants,” she said. “We actually have a really interesting variety of registrations that we’ve received.”

Rehrig-Schaeffer said the parade will begin at South and Main streets in Slatington, and will travel Main Street in Slatington into Walnutport, where it will turn onto Lincoln Avenue and disband at the ball field in Walnutport.

She said the three-division parade will feature some additional bands this year, including Celtic United Pipes and Drums from Stroudsburg, and the Fralinger String Band from Philadelphia.

Rehrig-Schaeffer said the event awards monetary prizes for the best large float, best small float, and large and small group, as well as an individual entry.

In addition, she noted that the Judge’s Award can be any entry in the parade, and noted it will be in honor of her late uncle, Russell Hallman.

“Halloween parades meant a lot to him,” Rehrig-Schaeffer said. “This is our first parade since his passing, so we want to recognize him for the countless time and effort that he put in organizing the parade that he did.”

Rehrig-Schaeffer said she’s pleased with the number of new entries in this year’s parade.

“We have quite a few new entries, which is great,” she said. “We have people reaching out to us, which is fantastic, and I hope it continues.”

Rehrig-Schaeffer said the parade seemingly continues to grow in popularity.

“I think that what we’ve tried to do in the past couple of years is make the parade into something people look forward to and anticipate,” she said. “We want to be recognized as an event that people are excited to watch and that people want to be involved in and be a part of.”

Anyone with questions about the parade, or who would like to volunteer or participate, may contact Rehrig-Schaeffer at 484-619-0140.

“We are always looking for people that may want to get involved in a volunteer basis with organizing the parade,” she said. “It really is a good time; it’s really fun and exciting to see it unfold and how the parade comes together.”

For more information, follow them on Facebook at Northern Lehigh Events Committee.