Hundreds of community members gathered to celebrate the annual Halloween Hoopla Parade and Carnival in Downtown Menlo Park on Saturday morning. Families dressed in their most creative and unique costumes, showcasing their Halloween spirit while enjoying activities like carnival games and bouncy houses. The event has been running for over two decades and has become an important celebration within the community.
At 11:00 a.m., attendees began trick-or-treating down Santa Cruz Avenue as local businesses handed out delicious treats. Stretching all the way to Fremont Park, children rushed to stuff their bags with candy while adults joined the festivities.
“Getting to go trick-or-treating early was pretty exciting,” Giovanni Becatto, a seventh-grader from Clifford Elementary School, said. “I saw a ton of my friends, and it’s been really fun to be out here and have a good Saturday.”
At Fremont Park, festive music filled the air as Menlo Park school bands performed Halloween favorites such as “Thriller” by Michael Jackson and “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Jr. The students’ colorful Halloween outfits contributed to the seasonal spirit.
Packed with excited families and spooky decorations, the carnival opened at 11:30 a.m., offering fun activities such as arts and crafts stations, balloon animals, tattoo artists, bouncy houses, and even an ambulance tour.
Most participants enjoyed the parade’s seemingly endless amount of candy. “Candy was my favorite part of the event,” Romeo Reyes, a seventh-grader from Beechwood School, said.
“Everybody here is mostly dressed up, and nobody is coming with negative energy,” community member Mark Bacho said. “This event is good for the community.”
At 12:30 p.m., Bay Area magician Dan Chan delivered impressive magic tricks, inviting both children and adult volunteers onstage. In one trick, he separated a pair of linked silver rings in one swift movement. His performance awed the audience, and each trick was met with a burst of cheers.
As the event came to a close, children took home their candy and parents snapped final photos. “The goal of the event was to bring the community together to do something fun in the city they love,“ Iris Keenan, an organizer of the event, said. “Definitely seeing everyone do the parade and get dressed up was really fun.”
