Going To The Woburn Halloween Parade? Here's What You Need To Know

WOBURN, MA -- The Woburn Host Lions 63rd Annual Halloween parade steps off at 1 pm on Sunday, October 29. The parade typically draws more than 80,000 spectators; in a city of 38,000, the parade effectively more than doubles Woburn's population for the afternoon. That can make for some traffic headaches, but Woburn residents tell us a little planning and a willingness to arrive a bit early will maximize your enjoyment of the day.

"Honestly it's not as overwhelming as it might seem," said Caitlin Skinner when a Patch reporter asked for advice on a Facebook forum on the best way to approach parade Sunday with his wife and 16-month-old daughter. "I was amazed two years ago at how many areas had tons of space still available 15-20 minutes before the parade started."

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While the parade starts at 1 pm, the route closes at noon. For that reason, Samantha Stone recommends picking your spot and putting chairs out the night before. Stone also packs snacks and warm drinks, as the parade is long. The 2.2 mile route steps off from the Showcase Cinemas parking lot and Woburn and continues for miles down Main Street through the city center. The parade continues onto Lake Avenue at the Winchester Line ending at Horn Pond. The entire parade takes about 1.5 hours to move from end-to-end.

Tami Toomey echoed what a lot of people told us: if you live close enough to walk, leave the car at home.

"We usually sit in front of or near the Winchester savings bank. It’s a perfect spot," Toomey said. "If you park early enough there’s usually space on Kilby or Hart Streets. It’s just tricky getting back out since so many people just walk."

If you do have to drive, plan your route ahead of time and plan on arriving early. While the center of town offers premiere viewing in the thick of the action, parking closer to the start of the parade route may make for an easier exit when the fun is done.

Other pointers:

• Kids should bring a bag for candy -- a TON is thrown out by parade participants.
• Parking closer to 128 near the parade route start is best if you have to drive; the crowds tend to be thinner there, parking is more ample and there's less time spent waiting in traffic when it's time to go home.
• Have a few dollars to donate to the Lions Club that hosts the parade. Members walk along the parade route collecting donations.

Photo by Woburn Host Lions.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).