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Considering that the evening we now celebrate as Halloween evolved through various cultures–finding its roots in Celtic traditions that go back as far as 2,000 years ago, which in turn were influenced by Roman and Christian civilizations in succession; then, specific to its celebration in the United States, by various European immigrant and Native American cultures–it seems fitting that the neighborhood of Jackson Heights, itself a result of contributions from numerous cultural groups, would host an annual Halloween parade.

The 18^th Annual Children’s Halloween Parade is scheduled for Wednesday, October 31^st to begin at 5:00 PM. The parade will start at 37th Avenue and 89th Street and proceed onto 77th Street where more than 3,000 “goodie bags” (prepared by volunteers from the Jackson Heights Beautification Group and P.S. 69 Parents Association) and will be given out to all the kids. Not a bad way for our young trick-or-treaters to get a head start on their Halloween swag.

Although the Children’s Halloween Parade might not necessarily compete with the urban chic and stylized ostentation of its Manhattan counterpart (the New York Village Halloween Parade), its overriding virtue lies within in its namesake. The parade is a family friendly event meant for children, and it maintains the intimacy of local flavor that can’t be beat. In fact, one could argue the use of the term “Village Halloween Parade” might be more accurately applied to Jackson Heights than to Manhattan, in terms of scope and feel.

Still, the parade features its own notable attendees (aside from, of course, all the enthusiastic kids dressed in adorable costumes). Elected officials expected to make an appearance, to name a few, are Queens Borough President Helen M. Marshall, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, State Senator John D. Sabini, and NYC Comptroller William C. Thompson. They will likely come dressed as…well, politicians. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg had made an appearance last year, although the latest update indicates that he will not be able to make an appearance this year.

Various local community representatives will be in attendance, including Queens Community Board Chairman Vasantrai Ghandi and Manager Giovanna Reid, Ms Maureen Allen of the Kiwanis Club of Jackson Heights, Ms. Allen from the Kiwanis Club of Jackson Heights, Mr. Bryan Pu-Folkes from the New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE), Ms. Donna Raymond from North Queens Homeowners Civic Association (NQHA), and Mr. Ralph Moreno from the Jackson Heights Action Group.

The marching band from P.S. 69 “Magnet School of Cultural and Performing Arts” will take the lead position. The “Flying Puppets” of I.S. 230 will take the middle position while Joseph Pulitzer I.S. 145 “There’s Only One Race, The Human Race” will conclude the parade line. Local area schools will also participate in the march, including Renaissance Charter School, Garden School, P.S. 212 “Magnet School for Cyber Science & Literacy,” P.S. 228 “The Early Childhood Magnet School of the Arts,” and 82^nd Street Academics.

The parade is made possible through the volunteer organizational efforts of the Jackson Heights Beautification Group (JHBG), specifically the JHBG Halloween Parade Committee headed by Ed Westley. Their leading financial sponsor for the event is Citibank. Met Foods on 37^th Avenue provides fruit drinks for the 3,000 plus “goodie bags” distributed to the kids at the end of the parade. The Coca Cola Bottling Company supplies beverages for all the parade volunteers.

I asked Josh Weiss, vice president of the JHBG, for any advice he might have for anyone wishing to attend the upcoming event. He strongly advised against anyone driving in the area on the night of the parade, particularly since 37^th Avenue will be closed off to accommodate the route of the parade.

He further advised that “standard common-sense safety precautions” should be taken: parents and caregivers should keep an eye on their children. A sensible stance in any public area with substantial crowds. However, emphasizing that this was a family-friendly event centered on the children, Mr. Weiss added, “The police presence is quite pronounced, so this should be a nice safe night for families to enjoy together.”

So with all the details taken care of, it seems all that’s left for the residents to do is carve the pumpkins, ready the digital cameras, stock up on unseemly gobs of treats, and hope for favorable weather.

I myself will be out and about on the night of the parade, taking in the sights and sounds in order to write up a post-event blog to follow the parade, doing my best to channel the spirit of Jackson Heights on Halloween night. I’m planning to dress up as a…umm…blogger. Trick or treat!

For more information about the history of Halloween referenced in my introduction, check out a good general overview by History.com, in particular the articles “Ancient Origins” and “Evolution of a Holiday.”

For more information on how to volunteer for the JHBG Halloween Parade Committee, you can visit their site at http://www.jhbg.org/committees/halloweenParade/parade.html (although it needs to be updated for the current year 2007).

For those arriving from outside the neighborhood, Jackson Heights is accessible via the MTA subway at the Jackson Heights/Roosevelt Avenue stop (E, F, G, R, V); or either the 74^th Street-Broadway stop or 82^nd Street-Jackson Heights stop (7 local).

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