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Parade Goers Delight In Colorful Costumes, Floats
By Jo Ann La Russo
 | | Floats of all shapes and sizes delighted onlookers at the 69th Annual Halloween Parade. |
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TOMS RIVER - "Cindy Lou Who," aka Alexandria Schneider, not only won the Grinch's heart, but the judge's, too, 69th annual Halloween Parade in Toms River.
The five-year old girl walked the parade route in her big fluffy slippers, with her Dad, Marc, who was dressed as the Grinch. She wowed the thousands of spectators along the town's Main and Washington streets, taking a second place trophy for Most Original Couple.
More than 5,000 people participated in the event, and many parade goers arrived early in order to secure a good spot to watch the Halloween floats that featured wild colors, spinning lights, smoke machines, and lots of orange and black, as well as loudspeakers blasting out ghoulish music, surfin' music, crazy music, and patriotic music.
Aside from the Pirates of the Caribbean themes in the procession of floats, many that rolled past parade goers this year featured patriotic salutes. Beachwood Cub Scout Pack 114 had a tribute float dedicated to 9-11 Twin Towers, complete with a replica of two silver buildings.
God Bless America was the theme for Toms River Girl Scouts Troop 48. Their red, white and blue float featured Lady Liberty, and picked up a second place trophy for Best Decorated-Scouting.
Floats with happy ghouls, scary goblins and creepy crawly spiders displayed slogans that were inspired for the armed forces.
Nancy Reinhard, Brick, said she was eager to see her daughter, Kimberley, 16, perform with classmates from the Ocean County Vocational Technical School's Performing Arts Academy, in Lakehurst.
"The float is titled 'Thriller' and features the song by Michael Jackson," Reinhard said. "It was choreographed beautifully. The students worked so hard, and their costumes are beautiful," said the
proud mom.
The parade judge's agreed. "Thriller" was awarded a first place trophy for Best Decorated- Vocational/Tech.
Manchester teacher Irene O'Reilly caught up on her reading while waiting for the parade to begin.
"My students (from Manchester Middle School) suggested I see this parade," she said. "I know the wait will be worth it."
Many families lined Washington Street in front of Town Hall to catch a good view of the spectacle. Lisa and Baker McColley of Toms River showed off their darling five-year-old Nicole, dressed as a ladybug, while her sister, five-week-old Gabriella, remained asleep in her carriage.
"She was supposed to be a bumble bee," they said, "but she didn't wake up."
Three-year-old Jacob Bryceland and his brother, Jailyn, 2, with parents, Carrie and Robert, kept busy before the parade with
their remote-controlled trucks. As the kids
ran around with glow sticks, Robert said. "This is the first time we've attended as a family, and the kids love it."
The parade featured fire trucks adorned with skeletons, pumpkins and scarecrows. People cheered for the area school marching bands and when Toms River High School North's Marching Mariners performed God Bless America the crowd went wild.
Toms River school bands participated in the parade, as did Berkeley's Central Regional High School, as well as varsity cheerleaders from local schools waved and Toms River Girl Scout Troop 193.
Costumes on display included bug families, scooter zombies, vampire families and the lollipop kid. Halloween themed pirate ships, and sci-fifloats rolled down the parade route to the delight of the crowd.
"This year was better than ever," said Parade Chairman, Carl Weingroff, of Fire Company 1. "The parade is one of our most popular events."
The Toms River Halloween parade is listed in the Guinness World Book of Records, as the second largest Halloween Parade in the world.
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