Lining the sidewalks and filling Akin Common, students, teachers, and parents awaited the arrival of the parade. Halloween music blasted from speakers, welcoming a procession of witches, aliens, and animals that appeared from the Saperstein Arch.

Each year, the Halloween Parade stands as a favorite event for many of the community’s younger students, who are not only able to show off their costumes but also cheer on friends and take fun photos. Hackley welcomed this year’s festivities with a dress-down day for all students, many of whom wore elaborate costumes to celebrate.

“This year’s Halloween Parade was especially bittersweet because it was the last one I ever had the chance to attend as a student. Cheering on the younger students brought back lots of fun memories from my time as a Lower Schooler walking in the parade,” said senior Maia Larson.

Upper Schoolers participated in the receipt and exchange of Candy Grams while the Middle School office greeted its students with Halloween music and spooky decorations. Students were also able to celebrate with a viewing of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown during the day. An iconic sign from the movie was staked on the Quad and “welcomed” the Great Pumpkin to campus.

“It was so fun to be all dressed up in our costumes while watching the parade!” said freshman Brian Feehan, “Singing along to the Halloween music really set the mood.”

Younger students aren’t the only ones who take their Halloween costumes seriously. Their teachers, who accompany their homerooms during the parade, also come up with fun and innovative costumes that are a pleasure to look at. Teachers were especially inspired this year by popular movie characters, ranging from Bruno of Encanto all the way to a Midlife Crisis Barbie.

Despite the purpose of the Halloween Parade being to celebrate Lower Schoolers, the event has grown to signify much more for the entire community and is a tradition that will continue to be treasured by students of all ages.