Street lamp pumpkins lit up early on Oct. 16. The pumpkins lining Oak Bay Avenue are part of the Business Improvement Association's seventh annual Pumpkin Art on the Avenue featuring hundreds of carved pumpkins is Oct. 27 to 31 behind the Oak Bay municipal hall, 2167 Oak Bay Ave. with admission by donation. Theatre SKAM will bring their Pop Up Theatre Oct. 27 and 28 for Halloween-themed entertainment. (Mary Converse photo)

Street lamp pumpkins lit up early on Oct. 16. The pumpkins lining Oak Bay Avenue are part of the Business Improvement Association's seventh annual Pumpkin Art on the Avenue featuring hundreds of carved pumpkins is Oct. 27 to 31 behind the Oak Bay municipal hall, 2167 Oak Bay Ave. with admission by donation. Theatre SKAM will bring their Pop Up Theatre Oct. 27 and 28 for Halloween-themed entertainment. (Mary Converse photo)

Costumed children to parade in downtown Summerland

Event on Oct. 28 created as an activity for children and teens

It will be a celebration of costumes at a new Halloween parade in downtown Summerland on Oct. 28.

The Howloween 17 parade will include children from the Summerland School of Dance, the Summerland Asset Development Initiative, schools and youth groups.

Dave Simpson, the organizer of the parade, created the event as an activity for children and teens.

He said the parade will begin on Main Street at Kelly Avenue at 3 p.m. The route passes downtown along Main Street and then onto Victoria Road North, ending near Jubilee Road.

Dancers from Summerland School of Dance will lead the parade, performing a routine to Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

They will be followed by youths from the Summerland Asset Development Initiative, as well as other costumed children.

A stand with hot chocolate, cookies, cold drink boxes and candy will be set up at the end of the parade route. All snacks and treats will be given out, not sold, he said.

“It’s for the kids and it’s absolutely free,” he said.

While Simpson has organized the event on his own, he is working with service organizations and businesses in the community to make the event a reality.

He said the Summerland Kiwanis Club, SADI and others have helped with various aspects of the afternoon parade.

Simpson hopes the parade will become an annual Halloween tradition in Summerland.

Summerland Review