Neighborhood Expert: Navigating the Vienna Halloween Parade

Sponsor October 25, 2021 at 12:30pm

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].

This year the 75th Annual Vienna Halloween Parade will take place on Wednesday, October 27 at 7 p.m.

The theme this year is “The Roaring Twenties.” The parade is about half a mile long and lasts about 1.5 hours. The parade route runs from the intersection of Branch/Maple and ends at the library at Center/Maple.

If you’ve never been, here are some tips to help you make the most of the experience!

People set out chairs and blankets early in the day to reserve their spot. If you want a front row view, I suggest you do the same. The town asks that no one does this before noon on the day of the parade and that revelers stay clear of the sidewalk and benches during the day.
If you have a flat bed truck, you can back into parking spaces at the shopping centers and sit high to get a better view.
Some of the groups in the parade are very loud. If you have someone who is noise sensitive, consider bringing something to help them enjoy the parade without the noise.
There are no food vendors except for the nearby restaurants so plan to bring food if you need it or support a local restaurant.
Kids in costumes can walk in the parade with an adult if they want to. Participants meet at 6 p.m. in the parking lot at United Bank (374 Maple Avenue E).
Depending on what part of town you live in, you should be able to find parking to easily get out. Many people park at Vienna Elementary, the library, the Giant shopping plaza, side streets, Walgreens shopping center, or the Fresh Market parking lot.
The Town will be giving away 1,000 Halloween Goody Bags at the end of the parade near Vienna Elementary while supplies last (no candy or items will be allowed to be given out on the parade route).

The parade is one of my favorite Vienna events!

Bring extra blankets in case it’s cold. You can grab hot chocolate and food at the Vienna Shopping Center and Caffe Amouri is open until 7 p.m., so grab your hot chocolate on the way.

Here’s a map of the parade route and road closures (the first year we lived in Vienna I had no idea this was a thing and we tried to get take out that night… big mistake!)