Ghouls just wanna have fun at El Paso KLAQ Halloween Parade
Ghouls, clowns and candy-seeking kids filled East El Paso as colorful floats and costumed participants rolled through the streets for the 41st annual KLAQ Halloween Parade. Attendees lined the parade route on Saturday, Oct. 31, holding out bags and buckets as participants tossed candy, though some treats landed in puddles instead. Connie Hernandez, parade coordinator for KLAQ 95.5 FM and Townsquare Media, said this marked her 39th parade. It began with a few cars and one or two bands but has grown into a community celebration drawing an estimated 20,000 people, she said. People came dressed as clowns, pirates, horror movie villains and cartoon characters. Even dogs wore costumes. "It just grows every year and it’s always amazing how creative people are," Hernandez said. She said some people who came with their parents 30 years ago now bring their own children. "We’ve just kept the tradition going as a community event, because everything is free to the public, and it's just an awesome way to celebrate Halloween," Hernandez said. Families spent the Halloween afternoon watching bands, collecting candy and showing off their costumes. The only time the parade changed its theme was after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001,
