Washington Park families take center stage at Upside Down Halloween Parade

Families became the moving attraction at Washington Park’s Upside Down Parade on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. Rather than watching a procession pass from the sidelines, costumed attendees traveled along Russell Drive and encountered entertainment arranged beside their route through the South Side park.

The format brought several kinds of performance into one Halloween outing. Dance teams, musicians, acrobats and sports mascots entertained families as they walked, giving the procession a mix of live performances and opportunities to participate instead of simply observe.

Among the dancers were members of DuDamage Dance Team, CICS Wrightwood Dance Ensemble and Cloggin’ Craze. Their performances were part of a celebration that placed different dance groups along the same route, bringing their work directly to families making their way through the park.

Other activities invited children to try something themselves. Emily Temner, a coach with Cirques Experience, demonstrated how to use a German wheel for two girls. A participant with Academia de Danza also helped with face painting, adding another hands-on activity to the Halloween gathering.

Art-making extended to a larger collaborative project. Children could contribute to a group mural created by the Chicago Graffiti Archive, with one young participant shown spray-painting a section. The activity gave attendees a way to help create something together while moving among the parade’s attractions.

The route also included places to collect candy and school supplies and to take photographs. For South Side families, the gathering combined familiar Halloween treats and costumes with access to dance, circus activities and shared art-making, all within a single Washington Park procession.