LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX18) — Halloween spirit took over Downtown Lexington on Sunday night as hundreds of costumed residents and visitors filled Main Street for the city’s annual Halloween Festival and Thriller Parade.
For Louise Weston, it was her first time taking part — and it didn’t disappoint.
“It’s on our bucket list. I love it — yes, so excited,” Weston said with a smile.“You can be whoever you want to be on Halloween. There’s a thriller parade, you can come out and go crazy and just have a great time.”
Zombie growls, music, and laughter echoed through the streets as dancers showed off their best spooky moves. Michael Jackson look-alikes — complete with iconic red jackets — stepped into the spotlight, recreating the famous “Thriller” choreography.
Two parade-goers summed up the night simply:
“We’re doing the thriller parade. We’re gonna do the dance.” Costumes ranged from store-bought creations to last-minute, DIY masterpieces.
Parade participant Addilyn Peterson shared her Goodwill find-turned-zombie attire:
“We just dirty them up with some dirt on the outside and put some fake blood on it. Makeup… we kind of just looked at some last-minute tutorials.”
Beyond the parade, food and drink vendors lined the streets while performances kept the crowd energized. Mia, a member of SCAPA’s dance program, said performing in front of a live audience was a highlight:
“I just think getting to perform is a lot of fun because we get to do it in class, and it’s probably some of our favorite dances that we’ve done in school.”
For Barton, the event is more than just a fun night — it’s tradition:
“This was like a family thing, and we would come down here every year. Once we got old enough, my mom was like, we should do this. So it’s just been a tradition, and it’s a lot of fun.”As the night wound down, parade participants waved to the crowd, inviting everyone to join in future years.
“We’re gonna have a great time — hope you guys see it. Yeah, have fun! Have a great night.”
