Night magic! Arts in the Dark Parade’s tenth anniversary

New Orleans has Mardi Gras in early spring; Rio has Carnival in late winter; and Chicago has the Arts in the Dark Parade at Halloween. This year’s tenth annual parade did not feel like a typical Chicago outdoor fall event. The weather was perfect, the air was filled with music and the colors and costumes were breathtaking.

The parade was named one of the top 10 Halloween events in the country by USA Today and one of top four Halloween events in the world by Wanderlust Magazine. It was estimated that 60,000 people were in attendance to watch approximately 90 different entries and 4,000 participants showcase their talent. With an estimated 40-50 percent of marchers being young performers, Chicago’s collective art scene was at center stage, if for only one night.

Chicago’s vibrant art community is nothing if not inclusive of all genres and cultures. From its eclectic food scene to the many ethnic corridors representing cultures from all over the world showcasing music, performance art, written prose and poetry, and design art, The Arts in the Dark parade genuinely reflects the diversity of art in Chicago; and what better time to celebrate than Halloween, known in Chicago as “the artist’s holiday.”

Far from the traditional parades we are accustomed to, The Arts in the Dark parade turns the art of parading upside down. Gone are the standard commercialized floats, politicians and beauty queens of tradition. Founder of LUMA8 Sharene Shariatzdeh and parade co-founder Mark Kelly began the parade in 2015 when it was known as The Halloween Gathering and took place on Columbus Drive. Since then, the parade has moved to the more intimate setting of State Street and the list of sponsors and participants keeps growing. Lisa Fielding, WBBM’s anchor/reporter, has been emceeing the parade for the past two years and said, “It’s always such a fun parade and the weather was perfect this year.”

This year was the tenth anniversary and the theme was centered around the idea of “tens.” Parade participants were encouraged to pick a favorite decade and incorporate it into their performance. Continuing along with the theme of tens, the parade stopped every ten minutes for the performers to showcase their talents. A crowd favorite making their debut, a group of local architects designed headpieces representing Chicago landmarks and skyscrapers celebrating Chicago’s rich architectural history.  

Rounding out this special tenth anniversary milestone, the parade honored “10 Creative Spirits” who were recognized for their achievements in promoting the cultural art scene throughout Chicago. For a complete list of honorees and more information regarding the parade and its sponsors go to artsinthedark.com. Mark your calendars for next year!