West Philly’s record-breaking Halloween festivities, in photos

West Philly burned brighter than ever this Halloween.

It was the hottest on record since 1946, encouraging the community to mingle and linger outside for the neighborhood’s annual Halloween celebrations — the Dumpster Derby, the Tot Parade, the Porch of Doom, and the Haunted Alley.

The Little Tot Halloween Tot Parade & Party: Big Fun for Little Kids (& Grown-Ups Too)

The Annual Little Tot Halloween Parade and Party is a neighborhood tradition that sparks the imagination of participants, who often create their own costumes by hand. 

Organized collaboratively by the Spruce Hill Community Association and the residents of the one-way 4200 block of Osage Avenue, known locally as “Little Osage,” the event has blossomed over the years. The Tot Parade now draws hundreds of little ones ages 6 and under, accompanied by their guardians. 

Traditionally kicked off with a drum and cymbal performance by the Penn DrumLine, the parade closes several streets and winds through a car-free section of the neighborhood, creating a spectacle of costumes as excited tots trick-or-treat along the route. 

The parade culminates in a block party on Osage Avenue, where neighbors offer cider and baked goods, both homemade and donated by local businesses. 

This celebration fills the streets with the magic of Halloween and fosters a sense of community, making it a highlight of the season.

Dumpster Derby: A West Philly Tradition Careening with Creativity 

Now in its third decade, the West Philadelphia “Dumpster Derby” returned this year with impromptu fireworks and a crowd rivaling that of pre-pandemic times. Remaining true to its pre-social media, word-of-mouth origins, the location and time are not publicly announced, but locals in the loop always find their way to this event.  

Participants craft homemade vehicles using found objects from dumpsters and curbs. The carts then careen down Pine Street’s steepest incline with abandon. Because braking mechanisms are usually manual — aka, participants’ feet — neighbors stand ready to catch anyone who veers off course, crashes, or tumbles from their constructed carts.

Petri, a longtime participant and organizer, once joked it was an “uninsurable event,” particularly in earlier years when it featured fireworks and open flames. 

The event now is a family-friendly celebration that attracts a large crowd of all ages. 

The Haunted Alley: Neighborhood Fun For Everyone 

In the heart of the Cedar Park neighborhood lies a haunted alley that transcends the typical haunted house experience. 

It’s created by Timothy Reimer, who described the spooky set-up as a labor of love. Reimer has lived near 51st and Catharine Streets for 12 years and began bringing Halloween to his block in 2016 with decorations and full-sized candy bars. 

Eventually, Reimer wanted to create a free Halloween experience for local kids so they didn’t have to go far for Philly’s other festivities. Now in its fourth year, this one-block-long alley of frights is a collaboration with more than a dozen other neighbors who work together to create a scary experience that evolves every year. 

From 4 to 6 p.m., the thrills are toned down for a younger crowd, but after dark, the thrills go full-scale. As visitors step into the dark, narrow corridor, they’re enveloped in a world of eerie decorations and spine-tingling sounds.  

Reimer, who dreamed of being “that house” that goes all-in on Halloween, initially wondered if anyone would actually brave the alley’s confines. But Philly families flocked to the spectacle, drawn by the allure of the unknown. What began as a small endeavor to revitalize Halloween on his block has blossomed into a major community attraction. In 2023, more than 2,000 people walked the alley.

The Porch of Doom: Apocadelphia Edition

Since 1996, two homes dubbed Knot Squat and Cindergarden have collaborated to create a haunted porch attraction in Cedar Park. “The Porch of Doom” was started by a group of housemates who were involved with the Pentridge Children’s Garden. They knew the neighborhood kids and they wanted to provide a safe, fun, and local Halloween scare for them. 

What exactly is spooky about the Porch of Doom? For the kids, it’s the sounds and sudden sights. For the adults, it might be the nightmarish settings — illustrated by a changing real-world theme each year. Past years have tackled climate change, surveillance, the billionaire space race, and late-stage capitalism. 

This year’s theme “Apocadelphia” imagines the potential consequences of the reopening of the Three Mile Island nuclear power center to power artificial intelligence (AI). Featuring environmental anomalies and radiation scares, this year’s Porch of Doom produced many screams!