LAKEHURST – It was a frightmare of fun on Union Avenue as children and several adults and even some dogs donned costumes for the annual borough Halloween Parade.
The crowd gathered at the parking lot across from Borough Hall and once numbers were issued to each participant for judging, the march down the street began.
The costumed characters headed down toward Horicon Lake where Mayor Harry Robbins and Councilmen James Davis and Robert McCarthy had the difficult task of serving as judges. Councilman Brian DiMeo of the Lakehurst Youth and Recreation Committee was present to help oversee the festivities with other volunteers.
You didn’t have to be a child to enjoy the festivities. One visitor to the event from New York who has relatives in Lakehurst was dressed as a bumble bee. Amanda who was a bit shy to reveal her last name brough along her 7-year-old daughter Elizabeth who was dressed as a colorful butterfly.
“Halloween is a little different this year and we’re from a small town in New York which is having a similar event. It makes it fun.”
Borough resident Maria Colatarci dressed up as Popeye for the occasion. She enjoyed the Proving Ground Church’s Fall Festival a week prior and said she loves this time of year.
Members of the Boxx family enjoyed their first Lakehurst Halloween Parade. Lauryn Boxx said their children decided to embrace the children’s tale “Alice In Wonderland” with her daughter Lacey, 5 dressed as the Queen of Hearts, their 6-month-old daughter Elly dressed as the Cheshire cat and Harvey was eye catching as the White Rabbit.
Michael Boxx said the family was excited about the event.
For 7-year-old Evan Nives -Capasso, dressed as the Pokemon character Ash, the Pokemon trainer, it was a family tradition. He left a soccer game early to be a part of the parade as he carried Pikachu, the yellow creature best known for the Japanese Animated cartoon series.
Evan came with his great grandmother Arlene Pierce who recalled her daughter’s participation at the event in years past. MaryAnne Capasso grew up to become Lakehurst’s Borough Clerk who was helping out with the event that day.
“She was a princess one year. She was also a witch and she also dressed up as something connected to that song “Car Wash” from the 1970s. She always enjoyed it,” Pierce said.
You didn’t even need to be human to have a good time. Among the four legged participants of the parade was 8-week-old Karma a mix breed of bull dog and pit bull. The pup joined Mandy Day of Lakehurst along with friends and family Jacquelyn Osorio, 9, Dolce, 8, Jamie Osorio Jr., 5, Lanen McCann, 9, and Jamie Osorio.
To have a parade you need parade watchers and sitting on a street bench were the Berber brothers of Xander and Lance, 7, and Colin, 8, each sporting a coronavirus protective mask featuring a Batman emblem. They were joined by their great grandmother Gerri Knox and their aunts Genice Cassidy and Noel Gialanella.
Cassidy said, “this is a tradition for us we come out to see it or be in it for years.”
Dressed as Darth Vader, a unicorn and a character from Minecraft were the children of 210 Union Avenue who cheered on the parade participants along with their parents.
Eight-month-old Daniel Seibert was sleeping through most of this part of the event. He was in a Pillsbury Dough Boy costume while his mom Megan Seibert was dressed in a Paw Patrol.
As the parade marchers arrived at the lake, they needed to circle around before the trio of judges.
“I think we should have worn masks so no one knew who the judges were,” Mayor Robbins said noting how difficult a job it is to serve as judge. “There are so many great costumes this year. There always is. This is tough.”
Taking first place in the group category were the Schreiber family who dressed up as characters from the Walt Disney movie “Frozen.”
Amanda Schreiber was dressed as Sven the reindeer. Her daughter Addison, 7, was dressed as Elsa, her daughter Avalynn, 6, was dressed as Anna and her 3-month-old son Carson was dressed as Olaf the snowman.
Treats and juice boxes were served up at the pavilion following the judging.
