Get ready for a spine-tingling good time this Halloween at the 45th annual Galena Halloween Parade & Festival! This beloved event has grown over the years into one of the region’s most anticipated gatherings with floats, costumes, music, and other spooky, seasonal fun. Saturday, October 25, 2025, in downtown Galena, IL.

There’s something especially magical about experiencing Halloween in a historic town like Galena. October in Galena means pumpkin patches, corn mazes, ghost tours, and other seasonal events, all month long.

It all culminates, of course, with the Galena Halloween Parade and Festival in historic, downtown Galena. The creative costumes and spooky festivities mesh well with downtown’s historic architecture and community spirit.

Galena Halloween Parade and Festival 2025

Galena definitely knows how to throw a party, and Halloween provides an opportunity for one of our biggest. Downtown streets are cleared of cars and closed to traffic, allowing for a safe, Halloween street party.

The festivities start at 5pm, October 25th, with a free, half-hour concert in Grant Park by members of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Marching Band.

Next up is the Halloween Parade, from 6:30om to 8pm, on North Main Street in downtown Galena. And what a parade – you’ve never seen anything like this! Spooky floats, marching bands, ghouls, goblins, princesses, clowns, and more. In fact, even we, your Hawk Valley Retreat innkeepers, enjoy participating. Why, our parade group even won 1st Place Crowd Favorite one year!

After the parade comes the Halloween Festival, a family-friendly street party with Halloween-themed booths, food vendors, costumes, and live entertainment.  Great fun all night long.

Attending Galeen-O-Ween

Those hoping to attend the Galena Halloween Parade will want to arrive early in order to secure their spot. This is a very popular event and the best vantage points fill up early and fast.

Parking downtown can be tricky on event night. Many use the $5 shuttle service serving the festival from the Walmart parking lot off US-20. This runs from around 3pm to 5:30pm, then again from 6:30pm to about 9:15pm. Free and paid public parking options are also available around downtown.

Event attendees will want to dress warmly, as late October evenings in Galena can be chilly. Wear layers, comfortable shoes, and maybe even bring a flashlight along for any post-parade strolls.

When you’ve had enough noise and fun, it’s just a quick, 15 minutes back to your room at Hawk Valley Retreat. Enjoy a hauntingly good time at the festivities in downtown Galena, then back to your secluded and relaxing accommodations at our Galena bed and breakfast. The makings of a perfect day!

Visit the Galeen-O-Ween wewbsite for more information.