The Annual Venice MainStreet/Venice Lions Children’s Halloween Parade will be held on Thursday, Oct. 31, with parade participants asked to gather at 4:30 p.m. in Centennial Park. The parade down Venice Avenue will begin promptly at 5 p.m.

More than 500 children are expected to receive candy treats from the members of the Venice Lions Club, sponsors of the parade for 61 years. Following the brief parade, children will be free to trick-or-treat for more goodies at stores along the avenues.

Children and parents will meet at the Centennial Park gazebo at 4:30 p.m. At 5 p.m. they will follow the Lions Club float out of Centennial Park onto West Venice Ave. -- which will be temporarily closed for this event in the 200 and 300 blocks – near Nokomis Ave. The parade will travel westbound in the westbound lanes of W. Venice Ave. to Nassau St. As the parade approaches Nassau, the Lions Club float will pull forward and park on the roadway of W. Venice Ave. to block the intersection of Nassau. At Nassau St., the children will use the designated crosswalk to the sidewalk on eastbound W. Venice Ave. and trick-or-treat the shops.

Both sides of W. Venice Ave., from Nokomis Avenue to Harbor Drive, will be closed for the event from 4:30-7 p.m.

There will be event volunteers at the intersections of Nokomis and W. Venice Ave., Nassau and W. Venice Ave., and Harbor and W. Venice Ave. Volunteers will direct the crowd as it disperses from the parade and help the children cross between westbound and eastbound W. Venice Ave. to trick-or-treat. Venice Police will also be on hand to assist.