Costumed Youngsters Join Leesburg Parade

By Kyle Hansen

Thursday, November 1, 2007

A police officer sitting on the curb of King Street in Leesburg had only one thing to say as he watched fire trucks go by: "I like getting candy, because I like to eat it."

"And I like the parade, too," added the 5-year-old policeman, who on any other day but Halloween is Ian Robert, a kindergartner at Leesburg Elementary School.

Wednesday night was anything but average for kids dressed up as ghosts, firemen, princesses and a variety of creatures. They showed up by the hundreds, along with their parents, at Leesburg's annual Halloween parade to gather handfuls of candy from passing floats.

As the parade worked its way down King Street from Ida Lee Park to Catoctin Circle, Ian's dad, Matt Robert, said Halloween is "all about the happiness of my son."

For some families in rural areas, the parade is an opportunity to gather candy away from neighborhoods that aren't trick-or-treating friendly.

"We live out in Lovettsville. There is not any trick-or-treating out there so this is trick-or-treating for us," said Joy Dotson, who watched the parade with her husband, Howard, and their two girls, 5-year-old Maddy, a princess, and 2-year-old Gracie, a pumpkin.

"It is a good family time," Dotson said. "It gives the girls something to look forward to."

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Leesburg Halloween Parade

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A real pumpkin weighing 1,212 pounds is carted down King Street. (Katherine Frey)

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Molly, who lives with Gema Duran in Ashburn, dressed for the occasion and even received treats. (Katherine Frey)

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Madison Raborg, 5, of Leesburg, collects candy thrown by those in the parade while wearing her jaguar costume. (Katherine Frey)

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Dressed as bananas, Kaiser Permanente employees throw plastic fruits and vegetables, as well as real pumpkins, to promote a healthier alternative for a healthier lifestyle. (Katherine Frey)

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Lynn and Fred Blycher showed their Halloween spirit as they dressed for the annual parade down King Street. (Katherine Frey)

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Two-year-old Georgia Kelly Malick, flanked by her mother, left, Jessica Malick, and grandmother, Betty True Greene, watches the parade pass by. (Katherine Frey)

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Brandon Polo, 9, of Leesburg dresses as the Grim Reaper. (Katherine Frey)

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Ghosts and ghouls ride and walk down King Street. (Katherine Frey)

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Aubree Loker, 6 3/4, of Berryville waves to the passing paraders. (Katherine Frey)

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John "JV" Ortman, 7 1/2, of Leesburg, dressed as Harry Potter. He picked up candy Wednesday night that was thrown along the parade route. (Katherine Frey)

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One young girl races through the crowd handing out little pumpkins along the parade route. (Katherine Frey)

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Laurie Fauss leads Lloyd the llama down King Street during the annual Halloween parade in downtown Leesburg. (Katherine Frey)

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Other families planned to supplement the buckets of candy gathered at the parade with the door-to-door harvesting.

Julie Kramme and her family moved to Leesburg from Colorado at the beginning of the year. Kramme said she wasn't sure what to do for the holiday until someone told her about the parade.

Parade or no parade, she was sure the day would include candy and costumes.

"No matter what, we dress up and go all out," she said. "This is the start of the party."

The parade also was an opportunity for people to show off their creative costumes.

Kramme came as a hillbilly and brought along her kids: Halee, a 10-year old baby; Brayden, a 2-year-old firefighter; and Sarah, an 8-year-old Britney Spears.

Betsy Lesley, of Bluemont, came to the parade dressed as road kill. Her shirt was decorated to look like a road -- black with a yellow line down the center and small stuffed animals sewn onto the sides. Her daughter came in a more traditional costume, a pirate, and her husband settled for normal clothing.

Lesley applauded the parade, calling it a safe place for the community to gather.

"My daughter can get candy and we don't have to go to strangers' houses," the 13-year parade veteran said.

Kiwanis secretary and parade chairwoman Suzanne Wright said the parade was started 50 years ago by a former Leesburg mayor, "to curb the pranks teenagers would pull on Halloween."

Wright said this year's parade included six high school marching bands and more than 100 other organizations, each of which donated food items to the Loudoun Interfaith Relief in place of an entry fee. Spectators were also invited to bring food to donate at the parade.

The parade also was a place for politicians to solicit votes just before Election Day next week. Many of those aspiring for office walked in the parade passing out candy, along with stickers and other campaign materials.

"Everybody's here every year -- all the schools, all the bands, all the police -- obviously every candidate is here in an election year, which makes it fun," Lesley said. "Any candidate who's not here doesn't deserve to win."

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