LUMA8 and the City of Chicago’s Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot are pleased to announce the return of the Upside Down Halloween Parade. The kick-off event for Chicago’s “Halloweek” 2022,as well as the Arts in the Dark Halloween Parade, were designed to celebrate Halloween as the "artist's holiday," and will feature cultural organizations and artists from all over the city.
“The return of ‘Halloweek’ brings joy to our families and communities as we gear up to celebrate the Upside Down Halloween Parade,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “For the third year, the Upside Down Halloween Parade will provide the community of Washington Park an opportunity to play, have fun, and revel in the many festivities, music, and treats they can enjoy at no cost. I thank Bloomer Chocolate Company, LUMA8 and all the volunteers, and vendors for working to make this year’s ‘Halloweek’ possible and an undoubtedly successful event for all to enjoy.”
The Upside Down Halloween Parade will be presented Saturday, October 22, 12pm-3pm along Russell Drive in Washington Park. The following week, the Arts in the Dark Halloween Parade will serve as the “Halloweek” Grand Finale and will be presented Saturday, October 29, 6pm-8pm on State Street moving south from Lake to Van Buren. These events are free, family-friendly, and open to the public.
The 3rd Annual Upside Down Halloween Parade is a festive and enchanting Halloween experience that encourages Chicago children and their families to become the parade when they don their costumes and join the procession down tree-lined Russell Drive. Dance teams, musicians, acrobats, sports mascots and other spectacles will dazzle them as they make their way down the route – and kids will receive a complimentary goody bag at the closing arches, courtesy of Blommer Chocolate Company.
Former Chicago Cultural Commissioner Mark Kelly is the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of the parade, and he made a direct appeal to the children of Chicago, “Hey kids! Grab your costumes, bring your creative spirit and be the parade. Chicago’s creative youth will grab your imagination with their dance, music, theater and art talents.”
But don’t worry if you don’t have a costume – Blommer Chocolate Company will be giving away thousands of complimentary costumes in a courtesy tent at the start of the route. Blommer also will be hosting a festival section along the route which will feature a job fair tent for attendees interested in working at its Chicago factory.
“Blommer Chocolate Company is proud to be a founding sponsor of Chicago Halloweek, a program that was started by Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot during the first fall season of the pandemic in order to give Chicago families a way to celebrate Halloween safely,” said Robert W. Karr, Jr., Chief Legal Officer and Vice President of Administration for Blommer Chocolate Company. “We felt it was important to rise to the occasion in 2020, and we still feel it’s important, because investing in the neighborhoods where our employees work is not a temporary or seasonal commitment. It is who we are.”
“LUMA8 is honored to have founding sponsor Blommer Chocolate Company continue to invest in the Upside Down Halloween Parade,” said Sharene Shariatzadeh, President and CEO of LUMA8. “This year they have gone the extra mile by providing thousands of free Halloween costumes to attending children, and by hosting a festival area that will feature spectacle puppets by Jabberwocky Marionettes and Rogue Llama, interactive activities courtesy of Freakeasy, and more,” she added. “To top it off, parents can learn about the many job opportunities that are immediately available in Blommer’s local factory.”
The Upside Down Halloween Parade is presented by LUMA8 and the City of Chicago and is sponsored by Blommer Chocolate Company. Partners include the Chicago Park District, My CHI. My Future., the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Choose Chicago, William Blair and the Washington Park Chamber of Commerce.
For more information visit ArtsintheDark.org, LUMA8.org and ChicagoHalloweek.org
About LUMA8 (Light Up My Arts)
LUMA8 (Light Up My Arts) is an independent not-for-profit that strives to elevate Chicago as a focal point of artistic innovation to enrich the lives of its citizens and create economic impact. It does this through its signature events – the Upside Down Halloween Parade, Arts in the Dark, and its upcoming lighting festival, MoonGlow. For more information visit www.luma8.org.
About Blommer Chocolate Company
Blommer Chocolate Company is the largest cocoa processor and ingredient chocolate supplier in North America. The company provides comprehensive business solutions for domestic and international customers of all sizes in the confectionery, baking and dairy industries. Among Blommer’s core competencies are cocoa bean processing, chocolate manufacturing, commodity risk management, and product and process R&D. The company is a leader in advancing sustainable cocoa farming as a founding member of the World Cocoa Foundation and through its privately managed farmer programs in Cote d'Ivoire and Ecuador. Founded in 1939, Blommer maintains an outstanding reputation for customer service and quality. For more information about Blommer Chocolate Company, please visit www.blommer.com.
About the Chicago Park District
The Chicago Park District is the 2014 Gold Medal Award winner, recognized for excellence in park and recreation management across the nation. For more information about the Chicago Park District’s more than 8,700 acres of parkland, more than 600 parks, 26 miles of lakefront, 11 museums, two world-class conservatories, 15 cultural centers, 16 historic lagoons, nearly 50 nature areas, thousands of special events, sports and entertaining programs, please visit www.chicagoparkdistrict.com or contact the Chicago Park District at 312/742.PLAY or 312/747.2001 (TTY). Want to share your talent? Volunteer in the parks by calling, 312/742.PLAY.
About the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) is dedicated to enriching Chicago’s artistic vitality and cultural vibrancy. This includes fostering the development of Chicago’s non-profit arts sector, independent working artists and for-profit arts businesses; providing a framework to guide the City’s future cultural and economic growth, via the 2012 Chicago Cultural Plan; marketing the City’s cultural assets to a worldwide audience; and presenting high-quality, free and affordable cultural programs for residents and visitors. For more information visit: ChicagoDCASE.
About My CHI. My Future.
‘My CHI. My Future.’ is Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot’s signature youth-facing initiative with the aim to connect all of Chicago’s young people to meaningful out-of-school time experiences. The Mayor’s Office Education & Human Services Team partnered with City Departments, philanthropy, academia, the private sector, and more than 250 community-based organizations to create and connect an “opportunity ecosystem” that enables young people to explore their interest, develop their talents, and build pathways to positive futures. These opportunities for youth can be found at www.mychimyfuture.org.