Broadway Halloween Parade Faces Cancellation Without Urgent $26K Fundraiser
Denver’s beloved Broadway Halloween Parade is in jeopardy this year unless organizers can raise $26,000 in the next few days to ensure the event’s safety.
The parade, which began in 2016, has become a Halloween tradition in Denver, featuring dozens of floats traveling down Broadway from 5th Avenue to Alameda Avenue, drawing thousands of costumed spectators. The event’s popularity has soared, with attendance doubling from 15,000 in 2021 to 30,000 last year.
However, this increased turnout has brought new challenges. The Denver Police Department has required safety barricades to control the growing crowds and keep them off the street, a safety measure that parade organizers fully support.
“The safety of the parade ultimately lies with Denver Police, and we want to support them. We want the parade to be safe too,” said Luke Johnson, President of the Broadway Merchants Association.
The issue is the cost. The parade’s budget last year was $12,000, but the new safety barricades alone will cost nearly $26,000—an expense the organizers cannot cover on their own.
Johnson is calling on the community for help, hoping that those who love the parade will step up to save it. The deadline to raise the funds is September 6, and without financial support, the parade might not happen this year.
“We need a hero,” Johnson said, urging the community to pitch in and keep this spooky season tradition alive.