The leaves are changing colors in Tamaqua, meaning it's almost time for the haunting to begin.

That's right, the annual Tamaqua Halloween Parade is just a few short weeks away, when the streets of Tamaqua will be filled with all sorts of ghosts, goblins, witches (good and bad) and other assorted pranksters having an old-fashioned good time.In preparation for the grand event, which will be held Oct. 28, organizers have selected a grand marshal, and he's not spooky at all.This year, for the parade's 48th march, the grand marshal is none other than Donald Serfass, Times News managing editor. The announcement was made on Thursday by members of the Tamaqua Lions Club, which co-sponsors the parade with the Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce.The Tamaqua Wireless Association also assists with the event by providing communication along the parade route.Before working at the Times News, Serfass spent 20 years as director of corporate communications for Blue Cross and Blue Shield. His love of Tamaqua and the history of the region has been exhibited over the years through his community service as past president of the Tamaqua Historical Society, volunteer co-manager of the Tamaqua Historic District during its inclusion into the National Register of Historic Places of the National Park Service, and by authoring the book "Iron Steps, Illustrated History of Tamaqua."Serfass is also past president of Downtown Tamaqua Inc., a member of Tamaqua Save Our Station and the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership, past board member of Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce, and former officer of IOOF Harmony Lodge. He went on to earn the rank of patriarch in Scott Encampment, fraternal tribute to the Civil War Scott Rifles, and attained the rank of chevalier in the Patriarchs Militant, Allentown Canton. In 2002, he was named a Penn Ambassador, Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission. He also is a proponent of regional tourism, helping to inaugurate Victorian house tours, ghost tours and historic district walking tours. An expert on the 1880s highwheel, he appears at museums and heritage celebrations in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. He also founded the Victorian Highwheelers of Tamaqua 14 years ago, an educational nonprofit and the only group of its kind in the country.The parade will form in the east end of Tamaqua, with participants assembled by 6:45 p.m., and is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Rain date will be Oct. 29 at the same time.The line of march will head west on Broad Street, turning right onto Greenwood, down Mauch Chunk, left onto Pine, and then back on Broad, continuing up to the west end of town. If the East Broad Street bridge restoration project happens to be completed by the parade date, the parade would proceed straight along Broad Street without any turns. Cash prizes will be awarded for the top entries, as determined by a panel of judges. Those prizes include best in show, as well as the top three floats and top three marching groups.Registration forms are available at the Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce. Completed registration forms should be returned by Oct. 22. For more information, contact the Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce, 114 W. Broad St., at 570-668-1880, fax: 570-668-0826, or email

tamaquachamber@verizon.net.