Mark your calendars and fill your shopping carts. The Palmerton Halloween Parade is set to take place this weekend, and just like last year, a nonprofit is using the event to raise much-needed donations for a local food pantry.

Pushing carts alongside the procession, Palmerton High School Leo Club members will collect nonperishable food items, toiletries, condiments and other necessities from paradegoers on behalf of the Christian Action Council of Palmerton Area Churches.

The donations will be given to the Palmerton Food Pantry, keeping the resources close to home, parade organizer Susie Arner said.

“They did great last year with their collection,” Arner said. “The community response was just absolutely fabulous.”

The parade, which celebrates its 28th anniversary this year, is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. this Sunday.

It will take the same route as last year: up Seventh Street to Lafayette Avenue, down Lafayette Avenue to Second Street, left on Second Street to Franklin Avenue, left to Third Street, right on Third Street to Delaware Avenue and then back to Seventh Street where it will disband.

With no set theme, the event is a perfect opportunity for participants to get creative, Arner said, filling the thoroughfare with princesses, zombies, Blue Bombers and other thoughtfully decorated floats and costumes.

“It’s just so fun,” Arner said. “I like not having a specific theme, and everyone can do their own thing. … You see it all.

“For a small community, I think we put on a very nice parade,” she added.

Residents are reminded to keep off the streets while the parade takes place. Walkers will pass along the sidewalks handing out candy instead of it being thrown from floats.

The rain date is 7 p.m. Monday.