Unfortunately, there won’t be any awards given out for best costumes or floats in Palmerton this year.

Nor will there be any individuals dressed up as ghosts or goblins walking the streets of Jim Thorpe.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused organizers of both events to cancel their respective Halloween parades originally scheduled for October.

Palmerton’s 29th annual Halloween parade would have been held Oct. 19, according to parade organizer Susie Arner, who said it was a tough decision to cancel.

“After discussion with the borough and (Palmerton) Chamber of Commerce, we have decided it’s in everyone’s best interest of canceling,” Arner said. “It would be nearly impossible for all participants on floats to social distance or wear masks; it may be Halloween, but a lot of our floats are more positive-themed rather than Halloween, and we don’t want to force people into something they aren’t comfortable with if they choose not to participate.”

Arner said the decision was made in the best interests of everyone.

“The entire situation is very difficult, and it’s just not possible to change and even try to have a parade,” she said. “We can’t continue to wait to even think about trying to have it; people put a lot of time and thought into their costumes and props, but we have to look at the big picture, and it’s just the way it has to be.”

Likewise, the Jim Thorpe Lions Club canceled what would have been the borough’s 26th annual Halloween Parade.

The parade had been scheduled for Oct. 24, according to Jim Trainer, parade committee chairman.

“With COVID going on, we just decided we’re going to cancel the parade,” Trainer said. “The committee decided last (Wednesday) night that the parade was going to be canceled, unfortunately.”

Trainer said the committee kept holding off hoping things would change before ultimately making the decision to cancel.

“We were looking forward to it; why have a parade if you don’t have any bands?” he said. “It would have been nice to have the parade for the kids just because they had nothing to do (this) summer (because everything was canceled).”

Trainer said the Lions Club will turn its attention to next year’s Halloween parade.

“Hopefully we’re bigger and better next year,” he said. “We have a whole year to plan for it now.”

Palmerton and Jim Thorpe aren’t the only Carbon County municipalities to scratch their respective Halloween parades.

Lehighton decided to postpone what would have been its 50th annual Halloween Parade until next year.

The decision to put off the spectacle that was to have been held on Oct. 10 was made by the committee recently, according to parade chairwoman Julie Harris.