What time does the Haunted Halsted parade start on October 31?
The Haunted Halsted parade starts at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, at Halsted and Belmont. It's free, all ages, and ends around 8 p.m. at Brompton.
You’re fitting a Halloween night around dinner, costumes, and getting to Halsted on time. The Haunted Halsted parade starts at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, at Halsted and Belmont. It’s free and open to all ages, with the parade ending around 8 p.m. at Halsted and Brompton.
The short answer
The parade steps off at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, at Halsted and Belmont, and wraps up around 8 p.m. at Halsted and Brompton. The official 2026 Haunted Halsted parade schedule lists the start time and route. Admission is free, and all ages are welcome.
Some event listings give different start times, including 6:30, 7:30, or 8 p.m. For your plans, use the organizer’s official schedule: the parade begins at 7 p.m. Arriving before the start gives you time to find a viewing spot along the route.
The event is separate from the daytime festival, which runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. If you’re coming just for the parade, head to Halsted and Belmont for the 7 p.m. step-off.
What's new for year 30
For its 30th year, Haunted Halsted is an all-day event, with a daytime festival followed by the evening parade. Haunted Halsted Fest runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Halsted between Aldine and Brompton.
The festival adds daytime activities for different ages and interests. You’ll find a kids zone, trick-or-treating at more than 25 businesses, and more than 50 vendor booths. Drinks are available for guests who are 21 and older.
That gives you the option to spend the afternoon in Northalsted before staying for the parade. Check the Haunted Halsted event details for the festival information and schedule.
At 6 p.m., the street is cleared and attendees move behind the barricades on the sidewalks. Plan to finish festival activities and get into a viewing area by then. Once the street is cleared, the parade route is reserved for the event.
The parade itself
The parade features more than 300 costumed marchers, with community groups and performers joining the route. The lineup includes Chicago Full Moon Jam fire performers, Windy City Jeep Club, Chicago Thriller, Lakeside Pride Marching Band, the Windy City Rollers, and the Chicago Spirit Brigade.
The parade travels along Halsted from the Belmont starting point to Brompton, where it wraps up around 8 p.m. If you’re watching with children or a group, choose a place along the route before the street clears at 6 p.m. Keep to the sidewalks behind the barricades during the parade.
The event proceeds in rain or snow, so dress for the weather and choose footwear suited to standing outside. Costumes are welcome whether you’re marching or watching from the sidewalk.
Want to march? The costume contest
You can enter the costume contest for $5, with five categories and about $4,000 in total prizes. Categories are Character, Creative, Scary, Group, and Youth for participants under 13. Each category offers prizes of $500, $200, and $100.
Register online in advance or sign up on event day starting at 2 p.m. at the tent at 3211 N. Halsted. Bib check-in runs until 6:15 p.m., so leave time to complete it before the parade.
The awards and after-party run from 8 to 10 p.m. in the lot at 3514 N. Halsted. You must be present to win, so stay through the awards if you’re entering. With the parade wrapping up around 8 p.m., contest participants can move from the route to the lot for the evening’s awards.
Planning your night
The event ends at 10 p.m., and street closures affect Halsted and nearby side streets. Halsted is closed from Belmont to Addison, along with stretches of several side streets, so plan your arrival and departure around the event area.
The Northalsted Business Alliance, the neighborhood’s chamber, runs Haunted Halsted. If you’re attending the daytime festival and parade, note the 6 p.m. street clearance and move to the sidewalks behind the barricades before the parade begins. For the costume contest, account for the 6:15 p.m. bib check-in deadline and the 10 p.m. end of the awards and after-party.
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