One of my favorite Halloween events is the Little Five Points Halloween Parade which takes place in the Little Five Points neighborhood of Atlanta during the Little Five Points Halloween Festival.
Little 5 Points is such a unique neighborhood in Atlanta and the Halloween parade is just as much fun.
This year will be a little bit different — but they’ve found a way to make it amazing! We added all the important details below for what to expect in 2020.
My parade buddy Lisa and I try to go whenever we can and have been bringing the kids since they were in strollers. In addition to being a great Halloween parade with a cool variety of marchers, the Little Five Points crowd is just as much fun and their costumes can been just as good — if not better — than the ones in the parade.
Virtual Parade for 2020
The parade will be held virtually this year, due to COVID-19. It’s slated for Sat. Oct. 17, 2020 at 4 p.m. and can be found on Facebook! Organizers asked residents and businesses to send in short videos, which will be edited together to form this year’s parade online. Even online, this parade is a quirky one. I can’t wait to see all the amazing costumes people came up with this year.
It’s a great year to experience the parade like never before!
In addition to the online parade, a SpookAThon is being held to raise money for the 2021 festival and parade. (The show must go on!) You can buy Venmo Raffle tickets to win great prizes throughout the month.
(The following is information from previous in-person parades, since it’s being held virtually this year due to COVID-19.)
Little 5 Points: Atlanta Alternative Shopping District
Little Five Points was the first commercial district outside of downtown Atlanta. From the beginning, it was an offbeat arts and shopping district. Locals refer to it as the “Southern version of Manhattan’s Greenwich Village.” The local counter-culture makes for some great people-watching, as well an unique shopping and entertainment — and that’s on a normal day.
That same vibe comes through (and is even magnified) during the annual Little Five Points Halloween Parade.
Arrive early and stay late, this is also one of the best Halloween festivals in the city. In addition to the parade, shopping and food vendors, the Little Five Points Halloween Festival includes live music on three stages – the Star Bar Stage, Wrecking Bar/Findley Plaza Stage and the Star Bar Venue Stage. Check the website for the list of bands.
The box heroes are my favorite!
Little 5 Points Halloween Parade Route
The Little Five Points Halloween parade route starts at Austin Avenue and Euclid Avenue and moves up Euclid to Moreland. It will turn South on Moreland Avenue and proceed to the Wrecking Bar Brewpub where it will do a U-turn and then proceed to Freedom Parkway.
Tips for a Great Experience at the Little Five Points Halloween Parade
1. Parking can be really tight in L5P, so plan to get there early (it’s great people watching) and be prepared to walk a bit.
2. The Parade is part of the L5P Halloween Festival which runs from noon until 11 pm. There is an artist market, food vendors and live entertainment on multiple stages.
3. The Halloween Parade usually starts at 4 pm, but marchers start gathering at 2 pm. We love strolling through the folks getting ready. Most people are just there to have a good time and don’t mind having their picture taken.
4. Some costumes can be quite intense. It may be a bit much for young children, although we always see plenty of kids who don’t seem to be scared. You might want to mention before hand that it’s all make believe.
In addition, there can be some floats that may be a little inappropriate for kids, but we just pretend we don’t see those. For the most part, the floats and marchers are family friendly, and there are lots of familiar characters for the kids too. One of my favorite marchers are Box Heroes – superheroes made from cardboard boxes.
5. Beer is sold from street vendors and you are allowed to walk around Little Five Points with the drinks.
Have more tips for the Little 5 Points Halloween Festival and Parade? Know of other great halloween parades? Tell us about them in the comments.
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