Take unseasonably warm weather, mix in hundreds of assorted costumed participants, intricate floats, marching bands, and thousands of spectators, stir carefully with a completed bridge repair project along your main street and you've brewed up a perfect Halloween parade.

Such was the case Tuesday night as Tamaqua's 48th Annual Halloween Parade, sponsored by the Tamaqua Lions Club and the Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce, brought joy and laughter, as well as a few scary "monsters" to parade watchers and participants alike.Broad Street was packed with spectators, many of them dressed in their own costumes, as the parade was able to march the entire length of the street, without the detour of the past two years.As the 7 p.m. march time approached, small children, and some adults, crept out onto the street, craning their heads east, looking for the excitement to begin.Then, it was lights and sirens, and quite a few cameras, as the parade moved out of the staging areas and began moving west to the oohs and ahhs of the crowd.Parade Grand Marshal Donald Serfass was transported in a magical, 1800s style Vis A Vis horse drawn carriage, compliments of Kyle Hoppes.The carriage, horses and Serfass were all in white.Lively, and sometimes spooky, music filled the night air thanks to the Tamaqua Blue Raider and Marian High School marching bands, whose members were all in costumes instead of their usual uniforms, as well as several of the floats.The judging stand was located in front of the Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce Office, with Jack Kulp acting as announcer and master of ceremonies.After the four-division parade, organizers and sponsors met at the Tamaqua Elks Lodge to announce the winners.Best marching groups included the Raider Marching Band, which was awarded first place; the Marian Marching Band, second place; and a tie for third place between the West Penn Girl Scouts version of the Lego Movie and Parents Against Bullying.Placing top in the float category was Cub Scout Pack 756 with its Zombie Jamboree, while second place went to Romig Auto and the Monsters of 510 Haunt.Third place was awarded to the Coaldale American Legion and its patriotic All Gave Some, Some Gave All themed float.Best of Show went to the Eclectic Circus, whose members appeared as the "Undead Circus," which was fittingly named as only someone with special magical powers could possibly strut the length of Broad Street, on stilts, twirling a hula hoop around their hips.