Save the Date: The Emerald's Sixth Annual T'Challaween Comes to Town on Oct. 25

Going into its sixth year, T'Challaween is the South Seattle Emerald's annual celebration of the heroes in people's lives and their local communities. It's also a costume parade and trick-or-treating event for families and community members.

The event was created by the Emerald in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic in a time of isolation and a "turbulent summer of protests centered around systemic racism in policing," said Jessie McKenna, who cofounded the event when she worked at the Emerald in 2020. The name for the event was inspired by King T'Challa, or the Black Panther, in the film of the same name. The actor Chadwick Boseman, who played King T'Challa, died that year.

"Frankly, to remain hopeful felt like tempting fate at times," said McKenna, the interim development director at Beacon Arts. "But at the Emerald, we'd been covering South End resilience for years, publishing stories about our local heroes."

Halloween presented an opportunity to bring people together and embody what inspired them or what they aspire to be in a celebration of the heroes in the South End and beyond.

"Community leaders have a responsibility to provide a hopeful guiding light, and that's exactly what the Emerald did when it created T'Challaween," McKenna said.

The Emerald is partnering with Beacon Arts for this year's T'Challaween. The organization has also teamed up with the park's Jefferson Community Center, whose Halloween Carnival will complete all the festivities on Oct. 25.

Kate Poux is a Beacon Hill resident who has been participating since T'Challaween first started and looks forward to it every year. Halloween is her favorite holiday because she enjoys dressing up in costumes and making scary things fun for kids.

In previous years, she's done a "Thriller" flash mob with her daughters, friends, and neighbors, but last year she dressed up as a Ghostbuster and used a "special recipe" to make giant bubbles as people passed by.

"It's just a wonderful way to bring us all together in this really joyful, playful way that also is celebrating our neighborhood, our community, and our culture," Poux said.

Poux said her heroes are the "everyday people who make brave choices to resist or be kind or ask questions, especially in our current political climate."

"These ordinary heroes and sheroes show us how it's inside all of us to be leaders and not wait for someone to follow," she added.

"T'Challaween today is a community effort with a unique personality, thanks to everyone who contributes and attends," McKenna said. "To say that T'Challaween exceeded our expectations would be an understatement."

"We've been through so much these last few years, and it's events like this that keep us connected and strong, and feed our imaginations and souls," she added. "They represent our resourcefulness, resilience, and our commitment to making joy out of whatever we have on hand."

Don't miss out on this legendary event to celebrate what makes the South Seattle community great — the people! Bring your whole family and dress up as your favorite superhero, as someone who inspires you, or in whatever makes you feel confident, and join this celebration.

Be a T'Challaween Hero: Volunteer for the Event

Putting together this celebration takes many hands, and folks looking to be a local community hero are invited to volunteer. Sign up to volunteer at the T'Challaween website.

Event Details: When, Where, Route, & What to Expect

• When: Saturday, Oct. 25, 1–4 p.m.

• Parade Start: S. College St. and 18th Ave. S.

• Parade Route: South along the Beacon Hill Stay Healthy Street, ending at Jefferson Park.

• 🎃 NEW THIS YEAR: The festivities continue with games and arts and crafts at the Jefferson Community Center's Halloween Carnival (1–4 p.m.), sponsored by Seattle Parks and Recreation.

• Trick-or-Treating: Volunteers will pass out candy to trick-or-treaters along the parade route.

• Health Guidance: Current COVID-19 vaccination, masking, and social distancing are encouraged.

• Cost: Free and family-friendly.

• More Info: Visit tchallaweenparade.com.