Collinsville Halloween Parade 2013: A Gallery

Thousands lined the streets of Collinsville for the 20th Annual Halloween Parade Saturday. 

The event is sponsored by the Collinsville Arts Initiative and features Boosolini Collins as Monster of Ceremonies, costume contests, Dr. Feverstein's cannon, a rolling musical caravan complete with live organ music and much more. 

See more about the annual event at https://www.facebook.com/collinsvillehalloween

Following is a poem by Sara Shea, written in homage to the parade:

Ghosts of Main Street

By Sara Shea

In the factory, the voice of Samuel Collins echoes

admonishing workers to set their sights on the blade-

hone a keen edge to each steel tool.

Worn, cracked grinding wheels pile up, are carted off-

re-purposed as foundation stones, front stoops, keystones.

The true foundation of a town grows up

on what was worn down.

In the factory, Garth carves a Jack-o-lantern

with a rusting Collins machete.

Bill limps up Main Street with a tired smile,

clutching a coffee from LaSalles,

his beard white, wiry as the old fishing line

tangled in low branches over the Farmington.

I sit on my front stoop, my sun-bronzed skin

peppered by dry locust leaves whirling across

a sidewalk; golden curtain falling between seasons.

Main Street rises wide from the silhouette

of Sweetheart Mountain;

half shadow and half autumn light.