Egg Harbor City Cancels its Halloween Parade

Egg Harbor City's Halloween Parade, a family tradition in Egg Harbor, won't be happening this year. The parade, scheduled for Friday. Oct 30, has been canceled for 2020 according to a post on the parade's Facebook page.

Last year, hundreds of spectators lined Philadelphia Avenue for the annual EHC Halloween Parade.

The popular event featured costumed characters marching on foot and riding on floats, the Cedar Creek High School Pirate Marching Band, members of the city’s junior football league team and cheerleaders, local emergency vehicles and vintage tractors.

Several weeks ago, the Mays Landing-Egg Harbor City Rotary Club decided not to sponsor this parade this year. Then, late last week, the decision was made to cancel this year's parade.

The concern of bringing hundreds of people together, even outside, and maintaining social distancing eventually made having the parade impractical for organizers. The Egg Harbor City Council voted to cancel the parade until next year.

In a letter, Ronald Smith, the Rotary Club Halloween Parade Director, said the risks associated with having the parade finally necessitated canceling this year.

“It is with great reluctance that we find it necessary to withdraw from this year’s Halloween Parade.“This decision was made after much thought and careful consideration, but liability issues for our organization and members were too great to overcome.”

The good news for Egg Harbor City locals is that Halloween trick-or-treating will go on as scheduled on Sat. Oct 31. The city has shared its official guidelines for Halloween with Egg Harbor City residents on its Instagram page.