It is in the air.

Leaves are turning.

Dusk arrives earlier each evening.

On Friday, calendars turn to October and the scary season opens wide.

You may already see signs.

For example, on a front lawn not far from the intersection of Lehigh Street and South 24th Street/Oxford Drive, near South Mall, life-size skeleton pirates and other marauders cavort in a festive display.

On Cedar Crest Boulevard, near the border of South Whitehall Township, an inflatable specter with a jack-o’-lantern for a head seems to loom over passing traffic.

On a lawn along Ott Street, in the shadow of Muhlenberg College, a giant orange web provides a home to several black spiders the size of dogs.

And I am waiting, albeit somewhat impatiently, for homeowners near The Press offices to unveil their Halloween display. A recent diorama featured skeletons battling a dragon.

Grocery and big box store aisles are stocked with bags of miniature candy bars and treat bags, pumpkin carving kits and Halloween decor.

’Tis the season for goblins, ghosts, ghouls and other scary things, many taking to the streets in parade formation.

If you live in the East Penn area, you may be readying for the Halloween parade hat trick of the Vera Cruz, Emmaus and Macungie parades, respectively.

As noted in the Sept. 22 issue of The Press, this year marks the centennial of the Emmaus Halloween parade. Borough residents decorate their porches and host parties along the route.

As a kid, I remember the finale of the parade as the Haunted Hauler, a flatbed trailer featuring a creepy scene frequently involving a hooded figure of Death and other apparitions.

Save the dates Oct. 13, 16 and 23 for the trifecta.

The Borough of Catasauqua is scheduled to host its parade Oct. 20.

The City of Allentown’s Halloween parade is scheduled for Oct. 9 and the City of Bethlehem is to present its parade Halloween day, Oct. 31.

Northampton Exchange Club will host its annual Jack Frost Parade Oct. 23 and spectators should be aware of the debut of a new route. Check the Northampton borough website for details.

Whitehall brings back its Halloween-themed parade Oct. 7.

Check with local municipalities as parade dates near. Some of the listed parades were canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns and the fluid nature of the pandemic may bring changes. Also, please be mindful of pandemic protocols if attending parade events.

One of my great-grandmothers was born on Halloween and family legends recount her taking her grandchildren on trick-or-treat and mischief night expeditions for her birthday. Could anything be better than celebrating your birthday with gentle pranks and a haul of sweets? Perhaps a parade would be the only addition that could further enhance the fun.

Have a safe and healthy Halloween parade season.

April Peterson

editorial assistant

East Penn Press

Salisbury Press