Since the local Halloween parade’s inception, participants have gathered at Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library prior to their trek up Townsend Avenue. But this year, library officials announced a slightly altered parade route.

Over 500 expected participants will still gather at the library around 3 p.m. before proceeding up Townsend Avenue’s sidewalk an hour later. The change occurs after participants complete the route at Union Street. As participants proceed back, they will walk in a special lane marked  by traffic cones in the two-hour parking spaces along the avenue.

“We discovered once participants finish, they walk back down Townsend Avenue. So I contacted the police department about using the parking spaces as a safety lane,” said BHML Associate Director of Community Engagement and Non-profit Management Desiree Scorcia. 

The parade began nearly 15 years ago with Children’s Librarian Mary Pinkham beginning with story time and then taking about five or six trick-or-treaters up Townsend Avenue where they would visit local businesses and say “trick or treat.” Over the years, more people participated making it an annual tradition with a ghastly collection of ghouls, goblins, fairy princesses, astronauts and a guy who looks a lot like the 44th President of the United States.