85th Toms River Halloween Parade: What To Know

TOMS RIVER, NJ — For the 85th time, goblins and ghouls will fill the streets downtown as Toms River Volunteer Fire Company 1 hosts the Toms River Halloween Parade to celebrate the holiday.

The parade is scheduled to follow its usual route — Highland Parkway, south on Main Street and east on Washington Street — and steps off at 7 p.m.

Registration for the parade is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Toms River Fire Company 1 firehouse, 26 Robbins St., Toms River, and there are more than two dozen categories to enter, from floats and families to youth groups and even pets.

The marching bands from all three Toms River Regional high schools and the three intermediate schools participate, along with dozens of youth groups, dance organizations, nonprofits, and various businesses.

Here are details to know for the parade:

Parade History

The 2024 year is the 85th edition of the parade. The parade first was held in 1919, and has been held almost yearly since. It has been heralded as the world's second-largest Halloween parade by the Guinness Book of Records.

The parade has not been held annually because of various events. It was halted for a few years during the Great Depression in the 1930s due to a lack of money, and was halted again for a few years during World War II. It was canceled in 2012, when Superstorm Sandy devastated the area just two days before Halloween, and was canceled in 2020 during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic.

You can hear a little more about the parade from Sandra Levine's podcast, Still Time for Joy.

Road closures

Main Street and Washington Street will be closed beginning at 5:15 p.m. Thursday as marchers begin to gather at the Toms River Shopping Center to line. Part of Highland Parkway also will be closed to traffic during the parade set-up.

Spectator parking

Parking is available at the Ocean County Parking garage off Washington Street and Hadley Avenue. Do not park at the Toms River Shopping Center as vehicles will be towed.

The Halloween parade is the largest fundraiser for Toms River Volunteer Fire Company 1 each year.