Canada: More than 40 Toronto parks to host Pumpkin Festival, parades on Nov 1

"The City of Toronto is thrilled to announce that Pumpkin Parades will return to more than 40 parks across the city on Tuesday, November 1. Residents of all ages can enjoy a glowing gallery of spooky, cute and cool carved pumpkins outdoors while collectively saying farewell to Halloween," a statement issued on the Toronto city website said.

The neighbourhood Halloween tradition started at Sorauren Park in 2004 and grew to include neighbourhoods all over the city.

"This made-in-Toronto tradition allows community members to come together in City parks to show off their jack-o-lanterns and dispose of them afterwards," read the statement.

Community groups and Business Improvement Areas organize the Pumpkin Parades, inviting local residents to bring their carved pumpkins to neighbourhood parks.

The City provides park permits for free and offers organic disposal bins to help with post-event cleanup.

After the parades, the City picks up the pumpkins and processes them with yard waste to create compost for use in City parks and gardens.

A map of all parade locations is available on the City’s Pumpkin Parades webpage.

Parade attendees are encouraged to post their favourite creations online using the hashtag #PumpkinParades.

“It’s great to see Pumpkin Parades happening in more than 40 parks across Toronto. Thank you to all the residents, community groups and Business Improvement Areas who work with our City staff to make these parades possible and give kids another night of fun after Halloween,"  Mayor John Tory said in the statement.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)