Downtown Riverhead gears up for Halloween season

With Halloween swiftly approaching, Riverhead’s Downtown Business Improvement District is calling all coffin racers. 

BID officials say they are in need of coffin racers, parade participants — including performers, walkers, floats and cars — as well as volunteers for various aspects of the events.

The annual coffin races and Halloween parade are scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 21 (rain date Oct. 28).

The BID is also seeking prize sponsors for the lamppost decorating contest this month on Main Street. 

Halloween 2023 will vary a bit from last year. A big turnout is expected, and in order to minimize conflicts with evening events, the festivities will be shortened to 2 to 7 p.m. The Showmobile stage has been eliminated from plans this year, and there will be some street closures as well, according to BID executive director Kristy Verity. 

Ahead of the big day, BID officials are also calling for participants in the annual lamp post decoration contest — in which contestants register to decorate a lamppost in the spookiest way possible. 

“Decorating each one of them will transform Main Street into a Halloween hometown like no other on the East End,” the BID website reads.

Lampposts must be decorated between Monday, Oct. 9, and Monday, Oct. 16, and must be removed between Nov. 1 and Nov. 5, according to the BID. Any décor remaining will be discarded on Nov. 7. Participants are being asked to use zip ties to attach decorations to the lamp posts, but no wire or tape. 

Registered participants are responsible for purchasing and maintaining decorations, and Main Street merchants get first right-of-refusal for any lamppost in front of their business. Unclaimed lampposts will be opened up to the public for selection and decoration. You can even request a specific lamppost, according to the website. 

Residents can register for all events, sponsorships and volunteering on the BID’s website at downtownriverhead.org.