EFFINGHAM – Music, candy and light rain filled the air on Sunday during the 31st Effingham Sunrise Rotary Halloween Parade with hundreds lining the streets of downtown Effingham to watch the annual celebration. Children wore their Halloween costumes, while parents came prepared with umbrellas, blankets and chairs.
This year’s theme was “Once Upon a Time…” and had over 50 groups participate, including the Effingham High School Red Regiment, the Effingham Public Library and the Effingham County Humane Society. Float ideas ranged from Shrek and Disney princesses to skateboarding and bands.
The parade started with an Effingham Police Department squad car, followed by the Sons of the American Legion who carried flags and rifles, the American Legion and firetrucks from local communities. Children held their trick-or-treat bags with anticipation as floats traveled past them giving out candy.
It was the first time attending the parade for Kenny Calame and his children. Although none of the Calame family members were dressed up in costumes, Kamren, 7, and Koraline, 5, knew what they wanted to be for Halloween. Kamren will be a blow-up giraffe because “he doesn’t really like costumes,” according to Koraline, and Koraline will be Glinda from “Wicked.”
Although the Calame family didn’t have a specific float they wanted to see, the siblings were eager to collect as much candy as they could in their buckets. After the parade, the family planned to continue the Halloween spirit by painting and carving pumpkins.
Unlike the Calames, Effingham locals Nicole and Kris Long had been to the parade before and wanted to take their two daughters: Abigail, 4, and Madelyn, 2. Abigail dressed up as Princess Belle from “Beauty and the Beast,” and Madelyn dressed up as Clarabelle Cow from “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.” Like Kamren and Koraline, Abigail and Madelyn were excited for the free candy, as well as seeing the fire trucks and police cars.
Before choosing to be Princess Belle, Abigail considered being a witch, Elsa from “Frozen” and a wolf. Both Abigail and Madelyn couldn’t sit still during the moments before the parade started.
Nicole said Abigail is full of energy and that, “it’s constant from the moment we wake up.”
The parade awards were announced Sunday evening on the Effingham Illinois Sunrise Rotary Facebook page. There were three categories: youth, business and organization. In the youth category, Effingham Skateboarding placed third; Girl Scouts placed second; and Boy Scouts placed first.
In the business category, Krusteaz won third; Exclusively Dance won second; and Cayla’s Power Tumbling Cheer & Dance Center won first.
In the organization category, the Effingham County Humane Society placed third; Effingham County 4-H placed second; and The Heart of Effingham won first.