Ghouls of every size and shape converged on downtown Tamaqua on Tuesday night and spectators just couldn’t get enough.

The 58th Annual Tamaqua Halloween Parade sponsored by the Tamaqua Lions Club attracted more than 6,000 on a perfect-weather evening to gaze at hundreds of marchers and a wide variety of majestic floats.

The event is one of the largest of its kind in the area.

“We come every year to support the kids,” said Debbie Tamagini of Nesquehoning. She and husband Dennis have fond memories of watching their granddaughter play the clarinet with the Raider Marching Band.

“She’s off to college now.”

Others celebrate the night as a family gathering.

“Bill and I are meeting the grand kids here,” said Wendy McMullen of Hometown.

Earlier in the day, organizer Brian Keich announced some new wrinkles.

“This year there will be new categories for prizes: Most Creative, Best Theme, and Best Overall.”

Keich said marchers vie for a series of award levels: first place, $250; second, $200; third, $100; and best overall, $500.

Also new this year was online registration, helping to keep the five-division parade organized in a timely manner.

Dance troupes and elaborate floats were crowd favorites.

Many marchers stopped and performed before a judges’ stand set up at the Tamaqua Area Historical Museum on the 100 block of West Broad.

The troupes dazzled judges with finely choreographed, acrobatic routines that included not only lifts, twirls and spins, but difficult round-off back handsprings and cartwheels.

Ornate floats commanded attention with brilliant, multicolored lights and creative themes.

Live color commentary was provided by Ann Marie Calabrese, Stuck in the 80s Guru at WMGH-FM.

Many felt the record crowd, which could’ve been as high as 7,000, was partly due to mild fall weather.

“This is the first time in years that I didn’t have to wear toe warmers,” Calabrese joked.

The event closed East and West Broad Street, Route 209, a U.S. highway. It also required traffic coordination along Route 309, a busy state highway, and various borough streets.

To make it happen, organizers turned to local volunteer groups. One such organization, Tamaqua fire police, had their hands full.

But volunteers Merle Wertman and Jack Cusatis said they’ve been working the event for years and have grown accustomed to the larger attendance.

“I’ve been doing it since 1994,” said Wertman.

He said one difference is that today’s crowds sometimes aren’t as respectful as they were years ago.

“They don’t pay attention.”

Still, he and Cusatis met the challenge with enthusiasm and felt proud to serve the community. Both were stationed at East Broad at Greenwood and Cedar streets. Others filled the same role at major intersections, including the Five Points.

Tamaqua police patrolled on foot amid festive crowds lined the entire route of East and West Broad.

The winners were announced Wednesday morning:

The ‘Raiders Revenge’ pirate ship by Andreas Decorative Silicone Trivets, captured Best Overall, a $500 prize.

Others winners:

Most Creative:

1. The Dance Factory Tamaqua, PA

2. Dance with Kim School Of Performing Arts LLC

3. Tamaqua Knee High Cheerleading

Best Theme:

1. St. Luke’s Miners Memorial Hospital

2. Teprovich & Rodak families- Star Wars

3. Panther Valley Youth Soccer Association - Minions