EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Borne out of the pandemic, Rhode Island’s Witches Parade has become an October tradition for local families — but there’s change afoot.
After three years of bringing Halloween cheer to historic Main Street in Wickford, the witches are taking their brooms across the Washington Bridge to East Providence. This year’s parade will be held at 11 a.m. on Oct. 19 along the water in Riverside.
“We’ll be traveling from Riverside Square, down Bullocks Point Avenue, down to the Crescent Park Carousel,” New England Witches Guild Providence chapter head witch Sandie Gauthier told 12 News.
Organizers said the change of venue will allow them to expand the parade to include a large festival and better accommodate the growing number of people who want to be involved.
“In previous years, it’s been just the dancing witches, I mean hundreds of them,” Gauthier said. “This year we have Dark New England in the parade, we have the Providence Drum Troop joining us again.”
The festival will include food trucks, live music acts, and lots of family-friendly activities including free face painting and a bounce house.
Initially the guild said they planned to travel the parade to different cities and towns, but credited East Providence’s warm reception for convincing them to stay.
“The mayor of East Providence was in the parade last year, as with the banner as the 2024 parade host.” Since then, Gauthier said city officials have been “just really accommodating and so helpful that we’re thinking we’re going to stay here.”
The guild is also hoping the move will bring a little economic boost the area that’s still grappling with the burden of the Washington Bridge crisis .
“So we’re hoping to really help out the small business owners in East Providence by bringing everyone to the area and having the festival in Riverside as well,” Gauthier said.
East Providence roadway to close for Washington Bridge work “I have heard from people. They’re sad that we’re not [in Wickford] this year, but we’ve got to go where we’re needed,” Warwick chapter head witch Jennie Mulholland added.
Organizing the October parade and festival is the guild’s biggest endeavor, followed by their annual ball in December and numerous flash mob events throughout the year. But when the witches aren’t dancing, chapters come together for monthly meetings.
“We have a craft and we have snacks and we just have a great time together,” Mulholland said. “And it’s a good way to get out of the house.”
This month, their meeting will feature broom bedazzling as they prepare for the big day — and they say all are welcome.
“Basically, people bring their brooms and we put out a ton of glue guns and craft materials and we practice the dance and get ready for the parade,” Gauthier said.
“And bling up the broom,” Mulholland said.
You can learn more about the upcoming “Bling Your Broom” event on the group’s Facebook page.
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