About the Parade
Marching into its 31st year, the Portsmouth Halloween Parade is a grassroots, all-inclusive celebration of community, creativity and free expression that walks, stalks, dances, trumpets and drums its way through downtown Portsmouth each year on
October 31st at 7 p.m.
Everyone is invited to dress up, gather at Pierce Island by Prescott Park, and march. No sign-up required. The Parade is NOT a city-sponsored event. It is entirely funded and put on by the community, which rallies a number of benefits to raise funds to cover expenses of insurance, permits and police escort. Hundreds march in costume, thousands cheer from the sidelines, it’s always a spectacle from either side of the curb.
Portsmouth ended October with its seasonal roar Thursday night and the Halloween muses of this great community shared their visions and stories for us all to enjoy. The downtown became a wondrous frontier filled with music, magic, lights, and shadows around every bend. The streets were full of witches and monsters and other strange creatures. The sidewalks bulged with viewers, many of whom felt a fluttering of excitement typically reserved for opening presents. They strained their necks to see, and everything was so much that it burst beyond the frame of vision. The night was pierced with shouts of delight, admiration and surprise. There was much clapping and laughter.
To the participants, viewers, volunteers and supporters of The Portsmouth Halloween Parade, we say
THANK YOU
Underneath the vast compass of you all, our spirit as a community that can create and celebrate together was renewed.
Before You March...
We are thrilled to have you join our parade! No signup is required to march in the parade, however there are some things to know before you go!
- Please review our Rules & Regulations!
- Check out the map of our route, the gathering point, and our Handicap Accessible parking area.
- If you are a large group (>= 10) or have sound as part of your group, please give us a heads up!
- View Parking Bans & Road Closures in Portsmouth for the Parade. Please note the parking ban will last from 5 pm to 10 pm and the street closures from 6 pm to 10 pm.
