Let’s GO, GHOULS!

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Photo by Del Nakamura

Join us for Northalsted’s Family Trick or Treat Day on October 26! From 11 AM to 1 PM, businesses along North Halsted Street will be handing out tricks and treats to kids and families in costume. It’s a fun and festive way to celebrate Halloween with the community, so grab your costume and come out for a spooky good time!

Check Out Participating Locations

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Boo! Did we scare you? Gay Do312 and Northalsted Business Alliance have teamed up to make this Halloween season even more thrilling! Check out the Haunted Halsted Supersized Sweepstakes to win a meet & greet with Dragula stars Auntie Heroine, aurora Gozmic, and Scylla at the Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade on 10/31. Plus, a ton of $50 gift cards from LGBTQ+ businesses in the neighborhood!

The spook-tacular Annual Haunted Halsted Parade has resurrected from the shadows, ready to cast its spell over Chicago’s Proudest Neighborhood this All Hallow’s Eve! Join Northalsted in our ghoulish gala, marking the most spine-chilling holiday of them all. Show off your cookiest, scariest, and most creative costumes and enter the cryptic costume contest, or simply revel in the parade that is simply to DIE for. Registration for the Costume Contest is now open and absolutely FREE. Don’t miss this bewitching spectacle!

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Think you got what it takes to Haunt Halsted? Register for the Halloween Costume Contest and walk the parade with all the goblins and ghouls of Chicago. Click below to get registered or register on-site before the parade kick-off at Belmont and Halsted Street right at 6:30 p.m. 

Your October Spooky Roundup (2)

Nobody loves Halloween like Northalsted. Check out these Halloween themed events and specials happening in Chicago’s Proudest Neighborhood leading up to, and ON Halloween Night. We got you, boo. From spooky-themed dance parties and thrilling “Scaryoke” to the crowd-favorite Beetlejuice Drag Brunch and Horror Trivia, there’s something for everyone. 

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In Northalsted, game night is every night! From the thrill of Bingo night to the challenge of themed trivia, there’s always something to test your skills and knowledge. Plus, don’t miss the retro arcade fun at Replay, where you can relive the classics while enjoying a drink with friends. With so many game options available every week, Northalsted is the ultimate playground for both casual and competitive gamers!

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Around every corner in Northalsted, you can find a spot to see the incredible spectacle Chicago drag has to offer! Whether you’re going to a watch party, supporting your favorites in a friendly competition, or just want to support local drag, come on down to the strip and get your tips ready for our kings and queens!

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Sing us a song at one of our many karaoke nights in the Gayborhood. Bop into Replay for their weekly Wednesday night karaoke or kick off your weekend at Lark with even more Karaoke. 

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Start your weekend mornings off right in Northalsted with everyone’s favorite meal! Our restaurants are offering enticing food specials, bottomless mimosas, and the iconic drag brunch. Whether it’s a weekly tradition or you are treating yourself, brunch on our block is tastier than ever!

lets dance banner

Shake your groove thing this weekend to Power Hours from your favorite artists, guest DJs, theme nights, and more all up and down our favorite block!

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Hungry for more? Stop in to one of our many restaurants for dinner or a quick bite with deals you cannot beat! Northalsted offers a wide range of cuisine options that not only caters to our typical weekend visitors but also to our weekday night owls, industry workers and more. 

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Sales, packages, and deals are sprouting up everywhere this week! Here’s a little taste of other happenings in Northalsted. We hope to see you soon! 

Let the Halloweek Events BEGIN!

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Halloweek is here, and Northalsted is ready to celebrate the start of all things Halloween in Chicago’s proudest neighborhood! From spooky-themed dance parties and thrilling “Scaryoke” to the crowd-favorite Beetlejuice Drag Brunch and Horror Trivia, there’s something for everyone. And don’t forget to bring your furry friends to kick off the festivities with our Lakeview Pup Crawl this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Get ready for a week of fun, frights, and fabulousness in the heart of Northalsted!

Photo by Del Nakamura

Bring your pooch out in their best Halloween costume to strut their stuff along North Halsted for treats, giveaways & prizes from Aldine to Cornelia (3300 N. to 3400 N. Halsted)! Stop at our Miss Foozie photobooth for professional holiday pic. Have brunch on Lark’s awesome patio at 3441 N. Halsted, which will be open for all dogs. At 2pm Miss Foozie will be hosting a raffle drawing and fun Q&A to win prizes. Your $10 registration for each dog is your entry for a raffle prize, you need not be present to win.

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Boo! Did we scare you? Gay Do312 and Northalsted Business Alliance have teamed up to make this Halloween season even more thrilling! Check out the Haunted Halsted Supersized Sweepstakes to win a meet & greet with Dragula stars Auntie Heroine, aurora Gozmic, and Scylla at the Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade on 10/31. Plus, a ton of $50 gift cards from LGBTQ+ businesses in the neighborhood!

The spook-tacular Annual Haunted Halsted Parade has resurrected from the shadows, ready to cast its spell over Chicago’s Proudest Neighborhood this All Hallow’s Eve! Join Northalsted in our ghoulish gala, marking the most spine-chilling holiday of them all. Show off your cookiest, scariest, and most creative costumes and enter the cryptic costume contest, or simply revel in the parade that is simply to DIE for. Registration for the Costume Contest is now open and absolutely FREE. Don’t miss this bewitching spectacle!

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Join us for Northalsted’s Haunted Halsted Family Trick-or-Treat event on October 26th from 11 AM to 1 PM! This festive celebration invites families to explore our vibrant community while collecting treats from local businesses adorned with spooky decorations. Costumed kiddos can enjoy a safe and family-friendly atmosphere filled with fun and excitement. Whether you’re a little ghost, goblin, or witch, there’s something for everyone at this event. Come ready for a hauntingly good time and make unforgettable memories on Halsted! Don’t forget to bring your trick-or-treat bags! 🎃👻✨

FINAL CUT PRINT 2024

Do you have what it takes to rise from the grave and become the ultimate final ghoul? Join us for a night of frightful fun at Splash for the annual Final Cut Northalsted Drag Competition on October 24 at 9 p.m.! Unleash your inner monster and showcase your most bewitching drag performances, because all forms of drag are welcome. But beware: only the spookiest, most spellbinding acts will make the final cut! Don’t miss your chance to compete in this chilling celebration of talent and creativity. Gather your courage and register to join us—if you dare! 

game night banner

In Northalsted, game night is every night! From the thrill of Bingo night to the challenge of themed trivia, there’s always something to test your skills and knowledge. Plus, don’t miss the retro arcade fun at Replay, where you can relive the classics while enjoying a drink with friends. With so many game options available every week, Northalsted is the ultimate playground for both casual and competitive gamers!

drag shows banner

Around every corner in Northalsted, you can find a spot to see the incredible spectacle Chicago drag has to offer! Whether you’re going to a watch party, supporting your favorites in a friendly competition, or just want to support local drag, come on down to the strip and get your tips ready for our kings and queens!

karaoke banner

Sing us a song at one of our many karaoke nights in the Gayborhood. Bop into Replay for their weekly Wednesday night karaoke or kick off your weekend at Lark with even more Karaoke. 

Add a heading (6)

Start your weekend mornings off right in Northalsted with everyone’s favorite meal! Our restaurants are offering enticing food specials, bottomless mimosas, and the iconic drag brunch. Whether it’s a weekly tradition or you are treating yourself, brunch on our block is tastier than ever!

lets dance banner

Shake your groove thing this weekend to Power Hours from your favorite artists, guest DJs, theme nights, and more all up and down our favorite block!

6

Hungry for more? Stop in to one of our many restaurants for dinner or a quick bite with deals you cannot beat! Northalsted offers a wide range of cuisine options that not only caters to our typical weekend visitors but also to our weekday night owls, industry workers and more. 

12

Sales, packages, and deals are sprouting up everywhere this week! Here’s a little taste of other happenings in Northalsted. We hope to see you soon! 

Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade 2023 Galleries

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The 26th annual Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade, October 31st, 2023 in Chicago’s landmark LGBTQ Northalsted neighborhood

The free-to-watch parade, ranked one of the top ten in the US by Fodor’s Travel, has a spectacular Costume Contest with hundreds of entrants featuring $4,000 in cash prizes and concludes with an awards presentation hosted by NBC5’s Matthew Rodrigues and the Dancing Diva, Batty Davis. and a live performance by musical duo Molly & Alex.

  • View the awards show gallery HERE >
  • View the contest winners gallery HERE >
  • View the staging area gallery HERE>
  • View the parade route gallery HERE>

The 2023 Parade Grand Marshal is 44th Ward Alderman Bennett Lawson. The Judging Panel is led by IL State Senator Sara Feigenholtz.

The Parade also features the 10,000 watt Good Bus sound stage, Chicago Full Moon Jam fire performersWindy City Jeep ClubLakeside Pride Marching BandChicago Spirit Brigade pep squad.

Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade 2023 – Contest Winners

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The 26th annual Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade, October 31st, 2023 in Chicago’s landmark LGBTQ Northalsted neighborhood

The free-to-watch parade, ranked one of the top ten in the US by Fodor’s Travel, has a spectacular Costume Contest with hundreds of entrants featuring $4,000 in cash prizes and concludes with an awards presentation hosted by NBC5’s Matthew Rodrigues and the Dancing Diva, Batty Davis. and a live performance by musical duo Molly & Alex.

The 2023 Parade Grand Marshal is 44th Ward Alderman Bennett Lawson. The Judging Panel is led by IL State Senator Sara Feigenholtz.

The Parade also features the 10,000 watt Good Bus sound stage, Chicago Full Moon Jam fire performersWindy City Jeep ClubLakeside Pride Marching BandChicago Spirit Brigade pep squad.

PHOTO GALLERIES

  • View the contest winners gallery HERE >
  • View the awards show gallery HERE >
  • View the staging area gallery HERE>
  • View the parade route gallery HERE>

 

WINNERS RECAP

The costume competition covers 5 categories: Character, Creative, Scary, Youth (<13) and Group. Each category will have a $500/$200/$100 prize winner for 1st place/2nd place/3rd place, respectively.

Photos by Del Nakamura

 

SCARY CATEGORY

1st Place: Black Widow
Grace L.

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2nd Place: Vampire Family
Leander L.

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3rd Place: Monster
Brian B.

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CHARACTER CATEGORY

1st Place: Voldemort
Ben M.

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2nd Place: Hello Kitty
Angel A.

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3rd Place:  The Thing
David C.

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GROUP CATEGORY

1st Place: Doctor Who
Mike L.

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2nd Place: Jack Skellington & Sally
Joey Z.

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3rd Place:  N/A

CREATIVE CATEGORY

1st Place: Aztec Headress
Armando R.

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2nd Place: Ursula with the Shrimp
Timothy D.

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3rd Place: Pumpkin
Darren P.

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YOUTH CATEGORY

1st place: Violet Beauregard & Willie Wonka
Bratchett K. & Jamie S.

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2nd place: Transformer

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3rd place: Chuckie

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Final Cut Drag Competition 2023 Winners

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Open Competition! Category: Horror Cinema.

Best horror movie themed drag! October 25, 2023 at Splash Chicago.

Thanks to Splash and Casamigos Tequila.

View full photo gallery HERE >

Participants (from Left): Kittie Fae Woods, Degrassi Knoll, Roxy Cotton (front), Talia Watt (hat), Venus, Veronica Pop (Host), Jonathan, ChiFaguette

 1st Place: $500 – Talia Watt

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2nd Place: $250 – ChiFaguette

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3rd Place: $100 – Degrassi Knoll

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Hosted by Veronica Pop. Winners determined by crowd vote

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Presented by Northalsted & Splash Chicago

Halloween Parade 2023

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Chicago’s Halloween Night Parade Has Amazing Creativity, $4K in Prizes & Live Music

Cover image credit: Tom Tian / Northalsted

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Video: Glam Tie Media / Northalsted

CHICAGO – The 26th annual Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade will be held October 31st, 2023 in the landmark Northalsted neighborhood. The free-to-watch parade, ranked one of the top ten in the US by Fodor’s Travel, has a spectacular Costume Contest (Sign Up Free) featuring $4,000 in cash prizes and concludes with an awards presentation, live performance by musical duo Molly & Alex and dance party.

Sign up to participate free, all ages at hauntedhalsted.com.

The costume competition covers 5 categories: Character, Creative, Scary, Youth (<13) and Group. Each category will have a $500/$200/$100 prize winner for 1st place/2nd place/3rd place, respectively.

 

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Photo credit: Del Nakamura / Northalsted

The Halloween Parade starts from Halsted/Melrose and heads north to Halsted/Cornelia; hundreds of Chicago’s most creative costumes filling the street are an amazing sight to behold. Also participating in the Halloween Parade are fire performers Chicago Full Moon Jam, Windy City Jeep Club, Lakeside Pride Marching Band, Chicago Spirit Brigade, The Good Bus and more.

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Molly & Alex, photo: Steven Koch / Northalsted

This year’s Grand Marshal is 44th Ward Alderman Bennett Lawson. IL Senator Sara Feigenholtz will head up the judging panel, with hosts Batty Davis and emmy nominated NBC5’s Matthew Rodrigues presenting the awards. Howard Brown Health volunteers are staffing the contest on-site registration at Halsted & Belmont (10/31, 6:30-7:30pm).

The Awards show will feature Chicago powerhouse musical duo Molly & Alex (Molly Callinan and Alex Newkirk)

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Drag Competition, Photo: Christina Cortez / Northalsted

Northalsted has a ton of Halloween events throughout October: Final Cut Drag Competition at Splash Chicago, Parade After Parties, the Lakeview Halloween Pup Crawl, Trick or Treat, and more.

For Halloween event information see: northalsted.com/events

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EVENT SCHEDULE:

  • 6:30PM    Costume Contest Registration (sign up online now) – Halsted & Belmont
  • 7:30PM    Parade Kickoff at Halsted & Belmont
  • 8:00PM    Parade Ends at Halsted & Cornelia
  • 8:30PM    Awards Show: Halsted & Brompton (3514 N. Halsted; parking lot)
  • 10:00PM  End of Event

Event home page: HAUNTEDHALSTED.COM