A Bench Street View of Galena's Halloween Parade

There are towns that decorate for Halloween, and then there is Galena on parade night. On Saturday, October 31, the 46th Annual Galena Halloween Parade & Festival brings the lights, music, costumes, and glorious Main Street commotion back to town. The parade is scheduled for 6:30 to 8 p.m. on North Main Street, according to the official visitor guide.

For Thom Kramer and family, this is not a date to watch from the calendar. It is a night to step into. Living on Bench Street, right above Main, puts us in the heart of the parade madness. We see the sidewalks filling, hear the anticipation build, and feel the whole downtown turn into one big, cheerful October stage. It is another reason we love living in Galena.

Frankie Stein, Krampus, and the family business of having fun

Halloween has always been a family favorite here. Thom has always been Frankie Stein, our longtime crowd-pleaser and the familiar face people look for on Main Street. His kids have been the mad scientists, which is exactly the kind of family laboratory we can get behind. The best part is watching children decide that a monster in a lab coat is someone they would very much like to meet.

Becoming Frankie is part costume, part commitment. Walking Main Street in six-inch platform boots is challenging enough, then add a full silicone mask and colored contacts. Still, it is fun to disappear into the character for a night. Frankie has the right mix of spooky and silly, with just enough platform height to make every curb feel like a special effect.

Krampus joined the family parade cast last year, played by Reese in a giant seven-foot inflatable costume. The suit needs a fan pushing air into it to stay impressively enormous, which is a fine arrangement until a winter day decides otherwise. At last year's Night of Luminaria, the temperature hit five degrees, and Krampy was not moving much. Turns out a seven-foot air-filled monster is not exactly insulated. Between Frankie, Krampus, and the mad scientists, our family gets to share the kind of Halloween we love most, theatrical, welcoming, and just strange enough.

A tradition that keeps getting bigger

The 2026 festival marks its 46th annual parade. Just a year earlier, the City of Galena was celebrating the 45th annual parade, a lovely reminder that this is a tradition with real staying power. Over the years, a hometown Halloween ritual has grown into one of those nights when visitors and locals make room for each other along Main Street, all waiting for the next float, band, or character to appear.

The scale is part of the joy. There are bright floats, moving lights, costumed groups, and enough delighted noise to make the narrow downtown feel even more alive. But the reason it works is still personal: friends saving a curb spot for one another, families pointing out their favorite costumes, and familiar faces returning year after year.

Tips for visiting on parade night

• Arrive early. Main Street gets busy well before the 6:30 p.m. start. Give yourself time to park, find your people, and choose a viewing spot.
• Use the shuttle if it suits your group. The event guide lists a paid shuttle from the Walmart parking lot beginning at 3:30 p.m., with service paused during the parade.
• Dress for an October evening. Galena after dark can be cold. Layers, warm shoes, and something easy to carry make the evening much happier.
• Make a simple family plan. Pick a meeting point in case your group gets separated, and keep younger parade-goers close when the crowd tightens.
• Stay for the atmosphere. Do not rush straight back to the car. Take in the decorated storefronts, the lit-up street, and the fact that you are part of a very Galena kind of night.

From Bench Street, with Halloween spirit

From our perch above Main Street, parade night feels less like an event and more like the town throwing open its front door. We are grateful to be close enough to join in, dress up, and welcome the wonderful chaos. If you visit this year, look for Frankie Stein, keep an eye out for Krampus, and bring your best October spirit. We will be doing the same.