It’s late October on the Michigan lakeshore. Most of the tourists have packed up their flip-flops and headed back to Chicago or Detroit, leaving the streets of Saugatuck and Douglas to the "tumbleweeds." That’s how Erin Wilkinson describes it, anyway. She’s the woman who now runs the Douglas Halloween Parade 2024, carrying on a legacy her mother, Ginger, started 26 years ago. What began as a tiny group of 15 locals trying to drum up some business in the "dead zone" of autumn has morphed into a massive, neon-lit, glitter-covered beast that draws 20,000 people to a town with a permanent population of about 1,200.
Honestly, if you’ve never stood on Center Street at 10:00 PM on a Saturday in late October, you haven't really seen Douglas.
The 2024 edition, which officially took over the town on October 26, wasn't just another parade. It was a bit heavy this year. The event was dedicated to Erin’s brother, Andrew, who passed away recently. You could feel that mix of grief and celebration in the air. This parade has always been a bit of a "rising from the ashes" moment—literally, because it starts with a giant puppet called the Pumpkin King doing exactly that.
Why the Pumpkin King still matters
The Pumpkin King is the undisputed celebrity of the night. Before the march starts, he’s basically a local photo op. People crowd around him near the Old School House, taking selfies with a giant, articulated puppet that looks like it crawled out of a Tim Burton fever dream.
When 10:00 PM hits, he "comes to life." It’s the signal.
He leads the charge down Center Street toward Beery Field. But the real magic isn't just the professional puppets or the organized performers. It’s the fact that anyone in a costume can just... join in. You’ve got people who have spent six months building mechanical wings walking alongside someone who threw on a bedsheet five minutes ago.
The logistics of a 20,000-person party
You might think a small-town parade is easy to pull off. It’s not.
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The 2024 budget was a bit of a shocker for locals who remember the "good old days" when everything was free. This year, the organizers had to shell out over $18,000 just for city services. We’re talking Douglas Police, Department of Public Works, and the Michigan State Police. When you cram 20,000 people into four blocks, safety gets expensive.
To help cover costs, they introduced a VIP lineup on Mixer Street this year. For a hundred bucks, you got to skip the main chaos, get a swag bag, and—most importantly—access to a private, handicap-accessible restroom. If you’ve ever tried to find a bathroom in Douglas during the parade, you know that $100 was probably a bargain just for the toilet access.
- Lineup location: Center Street between the Old School House and Ox-Bow House.
- The "Queen of Direction": This is a real person (or character) who keeps the chaos organized.
- The Route: Just four blocks long, ending at Beery Field.
- Timing: Arrive by 6:00 PM if you want even a ghost of a chance at parking.
What most people get wrong about the "Adults-Only" tag
There’s a lot of chatter about this being an "adults-only" event. People hear that and their minds go straight to the gutter.
Look, it’s not that kind of adult event. It’s just... mature. You’re going to see some skin. You’re going to see political satire that’s a bit sharp. You’re going to see costumes that require a basic understanding of 1970s cult cinema or current events.
The organizers are pretty clear: kids are technically allowed, but "parents should be prepared." It starts late. It’s loud. There’s a lot of "social district" drinking going on. Basically, if you don't want your eight-year-old asking what a certain anatomical costume is, maybe stick to the Family Parade in Saugatuck that happens at 11:00 AM the same day.
The "Saugatuck-Douglas" shuffle
One of the best moves for the Douglas Halloween Parade 2024 was the Interurban shuttle. Because parking in Douglas becomes a nightmare early, smart people parked in downtown Saugatuck and rode the shuttle over.
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Even then, the "Social District" rules meant you could grab a drink at a bar like Everyday People Cafe (EPC) or the Mitten Brewing Co. and walk around with it. The vibe is more like a street festival than a traditional parade where you sit on a curb and clap.
The cost of keeping it alive
The 2024 parade faced some real financial hurdles. Erin Wilkinson has been vocal about how hard it is to keep this thing free. Small businesses fund a lot of it, but as the crowd grows, the costs for trash pickup and security skyrocket.
They added food trucks to Beery Field this year to help offset costs. It’s a delicate balance. You want the "rising tide to lift all boats" for the local shops, but you also don't want to go broke throwing a party for the whole state.
What happened after the Pumpkin King reached the field?
The parade doesn't just end; it dissolves into a giant dance party. Most of the crowd eventually migrates toward The Dunes Resort. That’s where the "Nightmare on Blue Star" happens. In 2024, the theme was "Goth and Glamour."
If you weren't at The Dunes by midnight for the costume contest, did you even go to the parade? Probably not. It’s a hike from downtown Douglas, and while the police presence is heavy, walking along Blue Star Highway at 1:00 AM in a bulky costume is its own kind of "extreme sport."
Actionable insights for next time
If you're planning to catch the next iteration of this West Michigan legend, don't wing it.
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First, dress for the Great Lakes. October in Douglas can be 60 degrees or it can be a horizontal sleet storm. 2024 was decent, but I've seen people in full body paint shivering uncontrollably in 35-degree winds.
Second, support the organizers. This isn't a city-funded event. It’s a labor of love by Hystopolis Productions. If you see a volunteer with a donation bucket, throw in five or ten bucks. That’s literally how the lights stay on.
Third, book your stay a year out. Seriously. If you’re looking for a room in Saugatuck or Douglas for parade weekend now, you’re already too late for most spots.
The Douglas Halloween Parade 2024 proved that even as things get more expensive and more crowded, there’s still a deep hunger for this kind of community-driven weirdness. It’s a moment where a small town forgets about "tumbleweed season" and turns into the most interesting place in the Midwest for a few chaotic hours.
Check the official Douglas Halloween website for 2025 dates, which usually land on the Saturday before Halloween. Get your costume ready now—the bar is high.