Friday, October 30
Business Costume judging will be in the morning to early afternoon.
To register contact:
Hiawatha Chamber & Visitors Bureau Office
785-742-7136
801 Oregon St.
Sponsored by GN Bank
The Hiawatha Chamber and Visitors Bureau is proud of our towns long Halloween traditions. While we are humbled to be charged as the keeper of the keys, we know that these traditions are as much yours as they are ours. The HCVB board believes it is important for the community and our members to be involved, and we need your help.
We would like the community to help us select the 2026 Grand Marshal for our Halloween Frolic & Parades.
The Grand Marshal is the Halloween Frolic and Parade’s ceremonial leader. It is a role that is bestowed on an individual(s) that show leadership qualities in our community, who help promote and celebrate our traditions.
The Grand Marshal must be present at the Grand Parade on October 31 and lead the processional of our 113 year tradition (112th annual parade)
We will take suggestions until October 11. The recommendations will then be sent to HCVB members to vote for our 2026 Grand Marshal and announced on or before October 18 on our Halloween Frolic Facebook Page.
Form for recommendations: https://forms.gle/5ytWxBdZ87Jgu76S9
Vote for your favorite theme! The 2027 theme will be announced at the end of the 2026 Grand Parade & placed on our Hiawatha Halloween Frolic Social Media Pages allowing you to prepare for next year and get deals on Halloween sales!
2027 will be the 114th year of the parade making it the 113th annual parade.
We want to keep at least ten years between duplicate themes & we must try to be mindful of copyright laws.
You have voted and the choice has been made! We are please to announce Katherine Miller’s design has won the 2026 logo contest!
Orders for shirts, hoodies, and sweatshirts with Katie’s design will be taken through October 23rd. NO LATE ORDERS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
https://hiawathashirtshack.com/collections/hiawatha-halloween-shirts
Thank you to all the artists who participated in this year’s contest! We hope you will consider entering again in 2026!
TBA
Contact the Chamber if you want to enter your house in the contest. Judging is during trick-or-treat nights on October 29 and 30.
Sign your home up for our Trick-or-Treat map with the option of being in our House Decorating Contest!
Trick-or-treat map: TBA
Friday, October 31
Registration starts at 11 AM. Judging starts at 12 PM.
Downtown Hiawatha at the Memorial Auditorium (Brown County Historical Society) – 611 Utah
Categories:
Infant to Age 2
Age 2 to Preschool
Kindergarten- 1st Grade
2nd Grade -3rd Grade
4th Grade-6th Grade
Groups
Groups with Props
Miss Mary Winner
TBA
The Hiawatha Chamber and Visitors Bureau would like to cordially invite you and your band to be a part of our 112th annual Halloween Frolic! The Grand Parade, or evening parade, holds a band competition every year where attending bands are able to showcase their talent and compete for one of our two prizes.
Our parade will start at 7 PM on Saturday, October 31. We hope you will consider joining us in celebrating the tradition of the Nation’s Oldest Halloween Parade.
Important Band Contest Information:
Grand Prize: $500.00 and a Grand Prize Plaque
2nd Place: $250.00
Travel Stipend: $50.00 (for bands more than 30 miles away)
Line Up: Bands planning to participate should arrive by 6 PM to the designated check in area and will have time and a place to warm up at the designated band area on 2nd Street.
Contest judging: Each band is provided the opportunity to stop in front of the Grandstand to demonstrate their skill before reaching the end of the parade route. Winners of the Grand Prize, 1st Place, and 2nd Place will be announced and presented by the Grandstand at the end of the parade.
Registration deadline: Tuesday, October 27, 2026. This is a firm deadline so we can make adequate travel and performance accommodations for your band. For registration, questions, comments, or concerns please contact the HCVB office. We hope you will be a part of our tradition!
Please Submit Form Via this Google Form: https://forms.gle/wZWZC5hgGsxsLt4v7
OR
Email to: hiawathachamber@rainbowtel.net
OR
Mail via USPS:
Hiawatha Chamber & Visitors Bureau (HCVB)
Oregon Street
Hiawatha, KS 66434-2205
Saturday, October 31
2026 theme: Hiawatha’s Graveyard Gathering
Parade Registration: https://forms.gle/Z9hYoQQFrDwGt2Xh7
In person check in & registration starts at 4pm judging at 5pm. Enter from Iowa St. and turn onto Morrill Ave. There will be someone there to give you your number. Proceed to the high school parking lot. Judging begins at 5:00 pm. If you don’t want to be judged, please arrive between 5:30 and 6:00 pm.
Please remember if you register in person, you may not be announced during the parade. We will do our best to get that information to our announcers, but registering ahead of time guarantees you will be announced.
Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grades, and 3rd & 4th Grades
General information:
Rules:
Please turn in your poster with the attached information:
Sponsored by Edward Jones, Hiawatha
785-655-8365
626 Oregon St
Drop off pumpkins to Dr. McPeak’s office at 706 Oregon St. on Monday, October 26 from 8a-5p (closed during lunch).
Intended for Preschool through 4th Grade. Decorate a pumpkin using paint, craft materials, etc. No carved pumpkins, please. Decorations are to be done by children.
Pumpkins will be judged on creativity and execution. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes will be given in each of the following age groups:
Please turn in your pumpkin with a piece of paper with the following information:
Pick up pumpkins on Monday, November 2 from 8a-5p (closed during lunch). All pumpkins will be discarded on Tuesday, November 3 at 5p.
Sponsored by Dr. McPeak, Optometrist
785-742-3021.
Saturday, October 31
Gift card prizes for the winner in each age group: Elementary, Middle School, & High School
Grades K-12
A shoebox float is a cardboard shoebox decorated to be a mini parade float. The lid can be flipped up to create a back. Floats are decorated with various materials.
Judging will be based on use of the theme “Hiawatha’s Graveyard Gathering,” originality, craftsmanship, neatness, use of materials, and overall appearance.
Bring completed shoeboxes to Morrill Public Library (431 Oregon) on or before October 30 before 6 PM.
Shoebox float “parade” will take place on October 31.
Winners will be announced and contacted October 31.
Label entries with name and phone number on the bottom of the float.
One entry per child and no group entries.
Floats may be picked up the first week of November.
Take an original painting and give it a spooky makeover for this creepy contest sponsored by HP&R! Add ghosts, zombies, pumpkins, and more to make your masterpiece a one of a kind!
All ages are welcome to participate. Email a picture of your original painting to sjasper@cityofhiawatha.org and to receive details about the competition. Entries must be turned in to the Fisher Center by Friday, October 9. All entries will be on display and voted on through social media or in person.
There will be winners for Spookiest, Most Creative, and Crowd Favorite. Winners will be announced on Monday, October 19!
RULES:
Must email a picture of the original painting.
Project must show integrity of the original painting; Some original components must be seen, but can be altered.
No limit on the number of entries per person.
Entry must include name of participant.
Final painting must not have any nudity or vulgar words.
Students in grades 4th-12th are invited to enter the annual Halloween Parade & Frolic window painting contest! This year’s theme is “Hiawatha’s Graveyard Gathering.”
Interested in sponsoring a window for this annual contest? Contact the HCVB office!
RULES:
Using an 8X10 white paper design a window painting using the Halloween theme in the full colors you plan to use. (Negative space is allowed)
Once entered you will receive entry confirmation, the name of the business window you will be painting and instructions on picking up supplies to make your creation come to life.
Window paintings must be completed by October 30 for contest judging.
Windows must be washed and cleaned by November 4.
Younger students may work with older students but will be entered in the oldest members grade level.
Adults may not help but must be present with the artists while working on their window.
Copyrighted imagery can not be used and will result in disqualification.
Judging is done by photographs.
Entries will be judged on the following criteria:
Fidelity to the original design
Originality
Craftsmanship
Use of art elements and principles of design
Adherence to the year’s theme.
See the entry form for more information.
Entry Form: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15KQT5c0k-bV96FSm7Zr2k1r3HIj-Hy9nFp1yWKfhJW0/
Tips sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WzPyrZcrK6ncndz-ZRKDqFZNyGoQ8nBvri8uI-hmMqY/
