Alton Celebrates Century-Plus-Old Halloween Parade Tradition

ALTON — The Alton Halloween Parade once again attracted hundreds of people and was very well-received along the entire route in Downtown Alton on Friday evening, Oct. 31, 2025, according to Steve Schwartz of East End Improvement, the parade’s longtime sponsor.East End Improvement Association, founded in 1916, has traditionally sponsored the event except for interruptions during World War II and one year during the COVID-19 Pandemic, when the city organized a trunk-or-treat event instead. Schwartz said he has been involved with the parade since the mid-1980s.“The crowd was fantastic throughout the whole route; it was crowded,” Schwartz said. He noted that the parade is managed by a committee with clearly divided roles, including some new members. The East End Improvement group has volunteer