29th Annual Del Ray Halloween Parade

One of Del Ray’s favorite traditions, the 29th Annual Del Ray Halloween Parade, takes place on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 2pm along Mount Vernon Avenue, beginning at E. Bellefonte Avenue. Children, pets, and decorated strollers are invited to march and show off their costumes! This parade ends with live music and an award presentation at the Mount Vernon Rec Center field. This hometown favorite, named one of the 10 best Halloween parades in the country by USA Today, is a must-see!

BEST DECORATED HOUSE & BUSINESS CONTESTS: For over 30 years, local residents and businesses have gone all out decorating for Halloween, competing for bragging rights for best decorated house and business.  Click here for a map of the finalists, and click here to vote for the People’s Choice Award.  Thank you to The Jen Walker Team for sponsoring this favorite tradition!

HALLOWEEN PARADE STROLLER/GROUP CONTEST: Registration for the Stroller/Group Contest will be done prior to the parade start. Stroller registration takes place starting at 1pm at the corner of Mt. Vernon and E. Howell Avenues; look for signage. All strollers must be registered by 1:30pm; strollers will then line up on Howell to be judged prior to the parade. There is no fee to register.  Stroller Competition Categories: Creative, Humorous, Best Group or Family, Less is More, and Overall.  Please note: no motorized vehicles of any kind are permitted in the stroller/group competition. “Thank you to Daniela Spigai & Jordan Beck, Advisory at Compass for sponsoring this spirited competition!

HALLOWEEN PARADE PET COSTUME CONTEST: Registration for the Pet Costume Contest will be done prior to the parade start. Pet entries must be registered by 1:30pm at the corner of Mt. Vernon and E. Howell Avenues; look for signage. Pets will be judged immediately at the end of the parade route. There is no fee to register. Pet Costume Categories: Creative, Team, How Could You Do This To Me?, and Vola Lawson Best of Show.  Special thanks to Your Dog’s Best Friends/The Dog Store for sponsoring this pawsome contest!

HALLOWEEN SCAVENGER HUNT: Walk the Avenue (in costume or not!) and find Halloween-themed items in Del Ray’s decorated businesses and hand-painted windows; five winners (randomly selected from all entries) will receive a $50 gift card to their favorite Del Ray business.  Click here for the clue sheet, or pick one up from the witch at the Pat Miller Neighborhood Square (Mt. Vernon & Oxford Avenues).  Return all completed clue sheets to the witch by Nov. 3 to enter!

HELP MAKE THE HALLOWEEN PARADE HAPPEN: Volunteers are an important piece of this great Del Ray tradition, helping set-up, guide the parade, and help with clean up. Click here to volunteer!

DONATE A COSTUME FOR LOCAL CHILDREN IN NEED: Every year, the Del Ray Business Association works with the Alexandria Boys & Girls Club, Community Lodgings, and the Alexandria Domestic Violence Safehouse to ensure that all neighborhood children have a Halloween costume. ALL 115 COSTUME REQUESTS HAVE BEEN FULFILLED — THANK YOU!!

MORE HALLOWEEN FUN THROUGHOUT THE SEASON with our local businesses and non-profits:

  • Nightmare on the Avenue Halloween pop-up bar, now through Nov. 2 at 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue; click here for hours and more information
  • Bar Wicked Halloween pop-up bar above Del Ray Pizzzeria at 2218 Mount Vernon Avenue; click here for hours and more information
  • Tales of Terror — two days of ghostly tours, eerie thrills, and haunted history presented by the Friends of Duncan Library and Del Ray Citizens Association, October 24-25, at Duncan Library, 2501 Commonwealth Avenue; click here for tickets
  • Del Ray’s Night of Dreadful Delights, Saturday, Oct. 25 starting at 7pm at select Del Ray restaurants, more details to come!
  • Magpie Harvest Market, Sunday, Oct. 26 from 10am-2pm outside Magpie Reclamations, 202 E. Custis Ave.
  • Pork Barrel BBQ Halloween Parade Kids Zone, Sunday, Oct. 26 from 12pm-5pm behind Pork Barrell BBQ at 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue
  • Company of Books Haunted House, Thursday, Friday, Oct. 31, 7-9pm, The Company of Books, 2200 Mount Vernon Avenue
This Halloween fun would not be possible without the support of our small business sponsors.  Be sure to thank them!
PRIMARY SPONSORS

 

STAGE SPONSORS
Yates Corner | Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Grill
Alexandria Toyota
Alexandria Hyundai/Genesis of Alexandria
Del Ray Service Center

PUMPKIN SPONSORS
Del Ray Farmers’ Market
Rosemont Landscaping & Lawncare

FENCE SPONSORS
Del Ray Citizens Association
CommonWealth One
Grace Episcopal School
Neighborhood Pharmacy of Del Ray
ROAM Rock of Ages Music
Tala Medical Aesthetics, LLS

SCAVENGER HUNT SPONSOR
Kinneman Insurance

FRIEND OF THE PARADE
DoggyWalker.com