It’s time to round up the horses and gallop on over to this year’s Elverson Halloween Parade, titled ‘Elverson Rodeo.’ The parade is on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m.; rain date Oct. 17.
Elverson Borough is steeped in country western history, having once been home to the famous C-Bar-C Ranch, a country music and entertainment variety show that ran from the mid-1930s to the early 1940s, located in a grove not far from the present day intersection of Routes 23 and 401.
The C-Bar-C Ranch attracted thousands of visitors every weekend for about 10 years, filling the air with live country western performances from up-and-coming acts to established country acts such as Tex Ritter, The Andrews Sisters, Shorty Long and Tex Fletcher, the left-handed guitarist. Many of the performers stopped to play on their way to perform on the Reading radio stations.
The C-Bar-C was an entertainment bonanza with old-fashioned carnival games, animals, hand-carved wooden toys, prizes and food. Its most well-known owners were local country western stars, Oklahoma Buck Nation and Texas Ann.
This year’s Elverson Rodeo Halloween Parade promises to be a country spectacle in the style of the C-Bar-C tradition.
‘Dig up your cowboy hat, find your matching boots, hop on your horse — don’t forget your lasso – and parade down our Main Street in Elverson,’ Esther Prosser, Parade Committee Chairperson said.
If you’ve never seen the Elverson Halloween Parade, you’re in for a surprise. This is small town America at its best, like a John Mellencamp song, and the parade is a lively community event that has many floats, marching bands, fire trucks, antique cars, dance groups, halloweeners, candy and more.
The parade hosts approximately 40 entries, including Scouting groups, preschools, cheerleaders, businesses and about six different fire companies.
Music is a huge highlight of the evening. Pre-parade entertainment will begin at 6 p.m. with John Barnett and company at the Elverson Supply Company and the Cripple Creek Gang at the Deli. The marching bands include Twin Valley High School, Twin Valley Middle School and Owen J. Roberts High School.
The Twin Valley Fitness Center will again host the halloweeners (kids in costume). Children should meet at the Fitness Center at 51 South Pine Street at 5:30 to be judged in the following categories: cutest, scariest, originality and around the Elverson Rodeo theme. Halloweeners may walk in the parade with the Twin Valley Fitness Center float. Prizes will be awarded at the Judges’ Stand.
Line-up will begin on South Pine Street at 6 p.m. with participants entering South Pine Street from Route 401. Entries will be given line-up numbers before parade night. Placards with numbers will be placed along South Pine Street to direct participants where to line up. The parade route will follow Route 23 west and end at the National Penn Bank. Route 23 will be closed to all traffic at 6:30 p.m.
Spectator parking will be available at the Community Evangelical Free Church, Elverson Borough Hall, Elverson Fire Hall and Livingood Park. There will be no parking along South Pine Street, which includes the YMCA, St. Joseph Health Network and the Heritage Medical Building. These areas are reserved for designated parade participants.
The judge’s stand will be located in the front of Shear Heaven Hair Salon, 70 West Main St., close to the National Penn Bank. Prizes will be awarded to first and second place entries in the following categories: Best of Show, Commercial Float, Noncommercial Float, Marching Unit, Scout Group and Best on Wheels. These awards will be announced from the Judge’s Stand immediately following the Parade. Show cars do not need to register. They should meet on Derby Drive by 6:30 as they will be at the front of the parade line-up.
Preregistration is required. All area businesses and residents are invited to enter by completing a registration form available at www.elversonboro.org, by calling Esther Prosser at 484-269-7153 or emailing esther@stoltzfus.com. The registration deadline is Oct. 10.