The City of Toronto is thrilled to announce that Pumpkin Parades will return to more than 40 parks across the city on Tuesday, November 1. Residents of all ages can enjoy a glowing gallery of spooky, cute and cool carved pumpkins outdoors while collectively saying farewell to Halloween.
The fun neighbourhood Halloween tradition started at Sorauren Park in 2004 and grew to include neighbourhoods all over the city. This made-in-Toronto tradition allows community members to come together in City parks to show off their jack-o-lanterns and dispose of them afterwards.
Community groups and Business Improvement Areas organize the Pumpkin Parades, inviting local residents to bring their carved pumpkins to neighbourhood parks. The City provides park permits for free and offers organic disposal bins to help with post-event cleanup. After the parades, the City picks up the pumpkins and processes them with yard waste to create compost for use in City parks and gardens.
A map of all parade locations is available on the City’s Pumpkin Parades webpage. Parade attendees are encouraged to post their favourite creations online using the hashtag #PumpkinParades.
Halloween safety tips also apply to Pumpkin Parades. As parades occur rain or shine, be prepared for wet weather by using caution on wet pathways and sidewalks and steer clear of rivers and streams in parks. Consider carrying a flashlight or attaching a strip of reflective tape to clothing.
