Wynnum to host its inaugural Halloween parade after 25 years at Manly

Brisbane’s bayside has been the home to Queensland’s biggest Halloween festival for almost 30 years but a neighbouring suburb has swooped in to capitalise on the uncertain future of the event.

A massive shake up has left a big question mark hanging over the future of Queensland’s biggest Halloween festival, with another bayside suburb swooping in to take advantage of the uncertainty.

The Manly Halloween Street Party, which was last held in 2019 and attracted more than 20,000 people from across the state, will not be happening again this year — the third year in a row the iconic even has been cancelled.

After Covid-19 forced the Manly Harbour Village to not hold the festival in 2020 and 2021, the organisers have again decided to defer it, instead choosing to hold a Christmas lights event at the end of the year.

Thousands pack the streets of Manly’s Cambridge Pde for the Halloween Street Party in 2018. Picture: AAP Image/Regi Varghese

“In February this year, when the discussion was made to defer the Halloween Street Party again, the outlook for Covid was by no means certain,” former Manly Harbour Village president and Halloween Party organiser, David Farley, said.

“Who knows what will happen in 2023 or 2024.”

While the Halloween Party, which has been arguably the biggest event on the bayside since its inaugural year in 1995, won’t be happening in Manly this year, Wynnum has instead decided to hold their own parade.

Lyn Wooler preparing for the Street Party back in 2015. Picture: Peter Cronin

The Wynnum Commerce group, with funding council and assistance from other local businesses including Ampol and BayFM, will hold their inaugural parade along Bay Tce on October 29.

On a smaller scale compared to Manly’s iconic event, Wynnum’s parade will see up to 5000 people take to the suburb’s CBD from 4pm with food trucks, market stalls, street entertainment, best dressed competitions and the parade at 6pm.

“We had the opportunity to do the Halloween parade and we jumped at it,” organiser Bernie Neylan, from Wynnum Commerce, said.

Wynnum’s Bay Terrace, which will be the venue for the inaugural Wynnum Halloween Parade. Picture: Renae Droop

“It will shut down Bay Tce all the way down to the Cedar and Pine Bar, it won’t be the same scope as Manly, there won’t be fireworks or ride but it’ll be a great event for the area, the residents and the community.

“It’s all about activating Wynnum.”

Mr Neylan said Wynnum had an agreement to hold the event for the next three years.

Labor Councillor for Wynnum Manly Peter Cumming said he believed it was a good idea for Wynnum to take the event and looked forward to its inaugural parade.

The Wynnum Halloween Parade will start at 4pm and run until 9pm.