LUMA8 and the City of Chicago return with the 11th Annual Arts in the Dark Halloween Parade, a family-friendly event featuring unique floats, spectacle puppets, and all forms of creative performance on Saturday, October 18, from 6-8 p.m. along historic State Street, with a step-off on Randolph Street. This magical evening procession celebrates Halloween as the “artist’s holiday” and draws together participants from cultural organizations, inspiring youth programs, and aspiring artists in every field and from every ward of Chicago. Named ‘one of the best Halloween celebrations in the world’ by UK-based Wanderlust Magazine and included in USA Today’s 10 best Halloween parades, this dazzling production delights an audience of over 100,000 gathered along State Street.
For the first time, this year’s parade will feature 8 Creative Guilds made up of creative professionals from different organizations who will unite to represent their respective fields, coming together to celebrate playful solidarity. These guilds include architects (nearly 100 individuals wearing their own sculptural headpiece creations), photographers (acting as “paparazzi” documenting the event from inside the parade), audio makers (interviewing the parade audience members to create a podcast), as well as writers, poets, visual artists, theater professionals, and film makers. Artists will bring a 50-foot cosmic serpent, a 40-foot glow worm, a motorized bathtub, and 16 giant skeletons into the mix.
While the Arts in the Dark parade is a Halloween event, the participants are not bound by a Halloween theme; each group is invited to showcase who they are as an organization with music, dance, costumes, and other dramatic visual elements. This year’s parade will feature 3 colleges, 8 high schools, 20+ dance companies, and 15+ music groups across many genres. The parade features an array of cultural and ethnic groups, including a powerful representation of Black and Mexican cultures. Additionally, the parade will feature Irish, Colombian, Brazilian, South Asia, Korean, Puerto Rican, Caribbean, Peruvian, and LGTBQ+ organizations and groups. These and many more groups and artist collectives capture the expanse of Chicago’s cultural landscape in areas including film, museums, visual arts, theatre, architecture, drag performance, fashion, dance, circus arts, creative youth, hip-hop, jazz, rock, opera, gospel and house music, street arts, fire arts, drumlines, puppeteers, literary arts, and much more.
Additionally, the parade will continue its tradition of honoring Creative Spirits, or leaders of Chicago’s arts and culture world, who will be introduced and honored at the parade. This year’s Creative Spirits include:
Tara Mallen – Award-winning actor and director
Terry Hunter – Grammy-nominated DJ
Wilfredo Rivera – Acclaimed choreographer
Joe Cerqua – Award-willing composer
Jimalita Tillman – Prolific theater producer and writer
Eugene Bush – Noted film producer
Clue – Up and coming street artist
“Chicago is a hothouse of cultural ferment, and this parade will capture this creative spirit in a magical evening procession,” said Mark Kelly, Arts in the Dark parade Co-founder and Artistic Director.
Another new element of the parade this year is a spectacular DIY costume contest for parade-goers, presented by Goodwill Greater Milwaukee & Chicago – a major supporter of this year’s Arts in the Dark parade. Goodwill invites Chicagoland residents to participate in The Haunted Runway Costume Contest by creating a parade-ready look. After community voting, five finalists will showcase their artistry in the parade, where thousands of parade-goers will cast their vote for the ultimate winner. Visit your neighborhood Goodwill in Greater Chicago for thrifting from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Find a Goodwill near you at goodwillgreatermc.org.
To enter the contest, folks can create their own DIY or homemade costumes, snap a photo of the look and submit it online at bit.ly/TheHauntedRunway. The Grand Prize Winner will receive a $250 Goodwill gift card and VIP seating for four at next year’s Arts in the Dark Parade. Four runners-up will each receive a $100 Goodwill gift card, and 10 people who participate in live voting on the night of the parade will be randomly selected to receive $25 Goodwill gift cards. All entries must be submitted by the deadline on October 8. Finalists will be announced on October 9, and the grand prize winner will be announced on October 20, 2025. Contest rules, eligibility and details are available HERE.
“Arts in the Dark is a powerful representation of what makes our city and its people incredibly special. Goodwill is proud to support this celebration of Chicago’s vibrant culture, artists and next generation of makers,” said Nathan Casey, Senior Vice President, Marketing at Goodwill Greater Milwaukee & Chicago. “When people shop at Goodwill, we want to empower them to explore their creativity – whether through clothing, art, music or other channels of self-expression. We look forward to joining the community for a night of imagination and wonder.”
Arts in the Dark is presented by LUMA8 and the City of Chicago with Major Support from Chicago Loop Alliance and Goodwill Greater Milwaukee & Chicago. LUMA8 is a proud recipient of a 2025 Chicago Presents Grant from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE). Support for Arts in the Dark also is provided by Amazon, CHOOSE Chicago, Harris Theater – Millennium Park, Ferrara, Illinois Arts Council, Industry Ales, Italian Village Restaurants, Millennium Garages, William Blair, theWit Hotel, Arts in the Dark is a part of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Fall Fest 2025.
About LUMA8 (Light Up My Arts)
LUMA8 is an independent not-for-profit that strives to elevate Chicago as a focal point of artistic innovation to enrich the lives of its citizens and create economic impact. www.luma8.org
About the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) is dedicated to enriching Chicago’s artistic vitality and cultural vibrancy. This includes fostering the development of Chicago’s non-profit arts sector, independent working artists and for-profit arts businesses; providing a framework to guide the City’s future cultural and economic growth, via the 2012 Chicago Cultural Plan; marketing the City’s cultural assets to a worldwide audience; and presenting high-quality, free and affordable cultural programs for residents and visitors. https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca.html
About Chicago Loop Alliance
Chicago Loop Alliance (CLA)’s mission is to lead the community by creating and supporting inclusive programs that attract people and investment to the Loop. CLA is a membership organization as well as the sole service provider for Special Service Area#1-2015, and the Chicago Loop Alliance Foundation produces public art projects and events. For more information, please visit LoopChicago.com.
About Goodwill Greater Milwaukee & Chicago
Goodwill Greater Milwaukee & Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that enhances the dignity and quality of life for individuals and families by strengthening communities and eliminating barriers to opportunity. Shopping at and donating to Goodwill keeps items in use and supports community programs and services that help people build skills, find a job and connect to resources like housing, food and transportation.
Learn more about community services offered by Goodwill in Greater Chicago and find store locations at www.goodwillgreatermc.org.
For more information visit www.artsinthedark.org , LUMA8.org.