As a Boyertown graduate, a real estate agent at Glocker Realty, and also a proud member of Building a Better Boyertown & BMBA, I have had the joy of watching our little town grow. I enjoy having any part in helping our community to move forward. I hope this weekly blog will help shine a light on all the great things happening in and around Boyertown, PA.

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Boyertown’s Halloween Parade: A Parade that Almost Wasn’t

On the night of October twenty first, Boyertown will embark on their 70th Halloween parade, but it was close to not even happening this year. After years of the Levan family & Brandon Yoder sponsoring and running the parade, they decided last year was going to be their final parade. Unable to find a successor, Boyertown’s mayor reached out to the Boyertown Area Historical Society for help. Having a full plate of their own, the Historical Society agreed to take over the parade on the condition that local historian and businesswoman, Adriane Zapien, would lead the endeavor. Not only did she accept the monumental task of organizing the parade, but she also wholeheartedly committed to creating an event that the community could take pride in, ensuring its longevity for years to come.

Before delving deeper into the 2023 Halloween parade, let’s take a moment to explore its history. The first documented evidence of the parade goes back to October 1912. An editorial from the Berks County Democrat said “A night of fun and revelry was Hallowe’en in Boyertown this year. Nothing of the kind was ever attempted in the town before, and it was such a great success that it was the unanimous opinion that it shall be a regular annual event on a still more elaborate scale.” In 1914, the parade was named ‘Der Gnom Karneval‘—a title the Boyertown Historical Society plans to revive. You might even spot some gnomes making an appearance at this year’s parade. If you’ve done the math, you probably realize that the parade has been a tradition for far more than just 70 years. The official counting of years started when the Boyertown Jaycees took control of the parade in 1953. The parade has since grown year after year making it the largest and most anticipated Halloween parade in the area.

That brings us to the 2023 parade. Back in March of this year Adriane Zapien, who is owner-operator of ReVamped Salon in Boyertown and runs the Old Soul Stroll of Boyertown, was asked to organize, fund, and execute the parade that is so endeared by the people of Boyertown. With this newfound commitment, her first step was to form a committee of willing and able individuals who could help coordinate volunteers, sponsors, logistics, and more over the upcoming months. Now, just days away from showtime, Adriane and her committee are hoping all their hard work will give Boyertown a fantastic evening of family fun!

The 2023 Boyertown Halloween Parade will kick off at 7 PM on Friday, October 21st. The parade has over ninety groups registered, and that number doesn’t even include the fire companies. This will be the largest parade to date! There will be many food trucks spread throughout the parade route (the route is the same as last year). The food trucks will be CJ’s Concessions, Hookies Fire Company Food Tent, Kline’s Kernels, Mama’s Majik Kitchen, My Mangia Mobile, and Schaeffer Catering LLC. There will be porta-potties located by each food truck area too! Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three winners in the following categories: Best Dressed All-Around, Most Original, Spookiest, Best Group Performance, and Crowd Pleaser. And of course, there will be plenty of “CANDY!” With the support of approximately forty-five volunteers and forty emergency service workers, their primary objectives are to ensure safety, maintain organization, and create an enjoyable family event.

Be sure to grab a good viewing spot and be thankful that this cherished Boyertown Halloween tradition is still marching on. Don’t forget that it takes a lot of help from the community to make it happen. Maybe you’d like to volunteer your time, money, or services for next year’s parade? It would be a treat that would make you feel spooktacular. Enjoy the parade and happy Halloween!

Boyertown Halloween Parade Details:

Saturday October 21st at 7PM (Rain Date 10/22 @ 2pm)

DO NOT place blankets, chairs, or other items on the sidewalks, along the parade route before Friday at 7 p.m. or they will be removed and disposed of by the Borough of Boyertown.

Veterans Coalition of Pennsylvania group and ROTC will be collecting clothing & canned goods for our local vets (new items only please).

Please keep the roadways clear on the parade route for you & your children’s safety.

Look for the secret Gnomes along the parade route and take a picture with them!

Here is what’s going down during the week of 10/19/2023 – 10/25/2023

Hkrs — **More information & registration here: HKRS Boyertown**

EVENTS LIST

MONDAY 10/23/2023

Bingo Night – Doc’s Irish Pub, Gilbertsville 6-8pm
Hocus Pocus 30th Anniversary (movie)(see showtimes) – The State Theatre, Boyertown

TUESDAY 10/24/2023

Oyster Night – The Ironstone, Boyertown 5-7pm
Line Dancing (dj) – The SunnyBrook Ballroom, Pottstown 6:30pm
Open Mic at SoulJoel’s (live comedy) – SoulJoel’s at Sunnybrook, Pottstown 7pm
Bingo Night – Iezzi’s on 3rd, Boyertown 7:30-9:30pm
Trivia Tuesday – Doc’s Irish Pub, Gilbertsville 8pm
Hocus Pocus 30th Anniversary (movie)(see showtimes) – The State Theatre, Boyertown

WEDNESDAY 10/25/2023

Storywalk – Boyertown Community Park, Boyertown 9am-6pm
Halloween Magic Show – Boyertown Community Library, Boyertown 6pm
It’s a Duo Thing (live music) – Big Phil’s Bar & Grill, Pottstown 6-9pm
Red October Themed Bingo for $2,550 CASH – SoulJoel’s at Sunnybrook, Pottstown 7pm
Hocus Pocus 30th Anniversary (movie)(see showtimes) – The State Theatre, Boyertown

“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” – Booker T. Washington

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Brought to you by:

Jeff Frederick, Realtor
Glocker Realty
900 E Philadelphia Ave Boyertown, PA 19512
mobile – 610-766-2028
office – 610-367-2058
email – jeff@glocker.com

JeffatGlocker.com

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What’s Going Down in Boyertown? (halloween parade 23)