By Patrick Olivero
RED BANK – A huge crowd joined the borough’s 78th annual Halloween parade Oct. 18, with costumed participants and decorated floats making their way along Broad Street.
Hosted by Red Bank Parks and Recreation with co-host Red Bank RiverCenter, the parade brought together local schools, community organizations and residents for a tradition that parks and recreation director Oscar Salinas described as one of the borough’s biggest events.
“It’s a tradition for us to make sure that this event is for the community,” Salinas said.
He said the procession and the celebration that follows require substantial preparation. Registered participants included Red Bank Charter School, Red Bank Primary School and a borough float, while Lunch Break’s bus was also scheduled to join the parade.
Children and adults walked alongside decorated vehicles as musicians played among the marchers. Costumes ranged from astronauts and witches to a walking monster truck, while a towering skeleton figure in an orange skirt rose above the procession.
This year’s plans also included something new for participants after the walk: a petting zoo. Salinas said the celebration featured inflatables, food trucks and vendors coordinated through RiverCenter, with goody bags available for the first 300 children.
For Salinas, the work centers on giving families a place to celebrate together ahead of Halloween.
This article originally appeared in the October 22-28, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
