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The Dumpster Derby
West Philly’s Halloween is mostly handmade, and it starts with a hill.
On Oct. 30, a few hundred neighbors gathered at the steep summit of the 4300 block of Pine Street for the annual Dumpster Derby. Andrew Bowers, who lived on the block in 2004, describes the roots of the event as anarchists pulling castoffs from Penn students’ trash and turning them into rolling sculptures.
He also remembers a rougher version of the tradition. Back then, Bowers said, the carts were often set on fire before rolling downhill. Police would inevitably show up and shut it down. These days, he said, police leave it alone.
The crowd has changed too. “A lot of the anarchists have kids now,” Bowers said, and they bring them down the hill in helmets. “It has a gentle spirit to it,” he said, with people keeping each other safe and “dressing up as weirdos.” His own kids were somewhere in the crowd, working up the courage to ride.
Once riders themselves, many have made way for their kids to participate in this community event.
A trolley themed cart with a “Fund SEPTA” sign rolls through the Derby, one of several rides showing support for public transit.
The Little Tot Parade
On Oct. 31, the Spruce Hill Community Association’s 28th annual Little Tot Halloween Parade gathered at 45th and Larchwood at 4 p.m. and stepped off at 4:30. The crisp and calm autumn weather brought families in the hundreds. The crisp, calm weather drew hundreds. Families could wander and trick-or-treat in car-free streets.
The association sponsors the parade with neighbors on Little Osage, the block where it ends. “It’s a joyous event,” said Tess Senderowicz, a member of the association’s board. “It’s a time to celebrate being together, and it’s a time to celebrate our awesome neighborhood.” Hosting something “fun for the entire family,” she said, is part of why the association exists.
As usual, the event ended at the Little Osage block party, where neighbors and local businesses passed out baked goods. (Hanbit Kwon for Billy Penn)
The Mad Beatz Philly drumline leads costumed families at the Spruce Hill Community Association’s 28th annual Little Tot Halloween Parade.
A grounded cardboard airplane worn by Karl gets a repair from mom Hanna while a young firefighter stands by in case of emergency.
A family dressed as Oscar the Grouch, Elmo and Grover visits the Little Osage block party.
Fernanda Gándara pauses for a portrait with her family at the parade. (Hanbit Kwon for Billy Penn)
A mother and child dressed as Aladdin and Jasmine along the parade route.
Jessica Tarica as Captain Hook and her family dressed as characters from Peter Pan.
Samantha, Willa, and Roz come out every year for the Tot Parade. Willa dressed as a mermaid while Roz went with a minimalist costume as a “candy eater.”
Three Minions go on a candy heist, pillowcases in hand.
Adriano Shaplin crosses Baltimore Avenue in his handmade tentacles, hurrying to catch up with his more nimble children.
A wizard and a pirate greet costumed children from their cornstalk-decked porch. (Hanbit Kwon for Billy Penn)
A baby in a carrier becomes the “Maxi Taxi” while a parent hails it with a “Taxi Please!” speech bubble. (Hanbit Kwon for Billy Penn)
A baby “drives” a cardboard Mister Softee truck pushed by parents dressed as a sundae and an ice-pop. (Hanbit Kwon for Billy Penn)
After Dark
Between the parade and the after-dark crowds, porches became the main attraction. The West Philly Fright Registry, created by Dyresha Harris and Eo Trueblood, is a free online resource of homes handing out candy, putting up decorations or hosting spooky events. This year the registry topped out at 148 listings. Harris said some neighbors have already called the registry a “tradition.”
Eo Trueblood and Dyresha Harris in front of their crafted display based on Stephen King’s “It.” (Hanbit Kwon for Billy Penn)
This year for their own porch, Harris and Trueblood took on Stephen King’s “It”. As a medical illustrator, Trueblood brings an eye for meticulous detail to the couple’s elaborate Halloween displays. Red-and-white striped drapery frames a giant clown face, limp bodies dangle, and on the periphery the iconic red balloon floats ominously.
“It’s not for money, it’s not for glory, it’s just to create magic,” Harris said. “Neighborhood glory.”
Visitors crowd a Beetlejuice-themed display at 51st and Catharine. (Hanbit Kwon for Billy Penn)
Themed “Join the Fight Against the Tech Dystopia” this year, the Porch of Doom on the 4800 block of Baltimore Avenue has drawn long lines since 1996. (Hanbit Kwon for Billy Penn)
Peanut dressed as Chucky from the 1988 horror film “Child’s Play,” was carried by his mom Sarah Lefkowich, who dressed in gory makeup as his victim. (Hanbit Kwon for Billy Penn)
Erica and Jake Blanch dressed in red pointed hats from “Over the Garden Wall” carry a lit-up dandelion for the crowd to make wishes on. (Hanbit Kwon for Billy Penn)
Vampires sit on a stoop covered in paper bats, beside a light-wrapped tree with glowing red eyes. (Hanbit Kwon for Billy Penn)
A skull-lined archway wrapped in orange lights marks the entrance to the Haunted Alley, a free, one-block Halloween attraction near 51st and Catharine Streets in Cedar Park. It was created by Timothy Reimer and a dozen-plus neighbors. (Hanbit Kwon for Billy Penn)
