Facing Frightening Costs, Broadway Will Host Bar Crawl Fundraiser for Parade

The Broadway Halloween Parade has seen some scary things over the years: chainsaw-wielding killers, giant spiders, winged skeleton monsters. But none of that compares to the frightening sight of the $99,000 bill for this year’s event.

The ninth annual parade scheduled for October 25 is the most expensive one yet. The parade’s growing crowds have come with increased requirements for pricey permits, pedestrian barricades, trash cans and porta-potties. Rising costs nearly ended the tradition last year, until last-minute community donations raised over $40,000 to save the $85,000 production.

This year, organizers are trying something new. Rather than relying on donations, they’re raising money for the parade with a spooky bar crawl on October 10, featuring 29 participating bars and restaurants along Broadway.

“We could make Broadway the Halloween destination all month long, not just for one night,” says Caitlin Braun, a member of the parade planning committee. “The parade brings so much excitement and energy back to Broadway. That’s something we hope to grow with events like the bar crawl.”

Tickets cost $35 (or $29 for those who aren’t drinking alcohol); prices increase to $40 on October 1. The event is for adults 21 and up. Admission comes with access to exclusive food and drink specials at the participating businesses.

Ticket-holders will be entered into a raffle to win experiences in the parade: either a parade walk for the winner and five friends or VIP viewing seats for the winner and ten friends. Costumes are encouraged, as the crawl’s theme is heroes and villains. The first 250 people to check in will get a free T-shirt.

In addition to funding the parade, Braun says the bar crawl is meant to support businesses along the corridor.

“It’s no secret that Broadway has had a really tough past year,” Braun says. “It’s such a tight-knit community. People’s hearts and souls are in these small businesses. This is an easy and fun way to give to them, support the parade, and have a good time.”

Several long-standing Broadway businesses have closed or moved since 2024, citing issues ranging from higher rents to crime to parking access. Recent losses include 29-year-old The Hornet, seventeen-year-old Fancy Tiger Crafts, thirteen-year-old TRVE Brewing, eleven-year-old Mutiny Information Cafe, and ten-year-old Banded Oak Brewing. The Underground Music Showcase ended its 25-year run on Broadway in July.

“The parade is really the biggest event that we have left,” Braun says. “If we were to lose another flagship event, it would be totally heartbreaking.”

The Broadway Halloween Parade brought in over 30,000 people last year, according to the Broadway Merchants Association, which puts on the parade. The volunteer-run event’s shoestring budget had never been higher than $13,000 until 2024.

This could be the last year parade organizers struggle to come up with funding, however. A ballot measure this November will give residents and property owners along Broadway the opportunity to form a general improvement district (GID) for the corridor, as areas like RiNo and the Ballpark neighborhood have done. If voters pass the measure, the Broadway GID will collect extra property taxes that it can spend on community improvements and services.

“If the improvement district passes, that will provide support for the parade,” Braun says. “This is the last year to get over the hump.”

The Broadway Halloween Bar Crawl begins at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, October 10, at 8 South Broadway, Denver; general admission is $35. To sponsor a parade float or donate money directly, contact broadwayhalloweenparade@gmail.com.