The Wild Rumpus is Athens, GA's 'Halloween Mardi Gras', in its 17th year, and 2025 will be the biggest yet. All are invited to attend and BE IN THE PARADE- everyone is in costume- young and old, all lifestyles, and walks of life… Wear a costume, and YOU ARE the parade!
The Wild Rumpus Parade begins with a conch shell blown by the Master of Ceremonies, Timi Conley. The sound calls out to all people to join in, to come out from wherever they are and whoever they are, all are welcome, and they appear in hand-crafted, wildly imaginative costumes, to parade through downtown streets, to strut past local bands on the route, to stream into the festival zone with bands playing on stage, with fire spinners, aerialist performers, and laser lights. Thousands of people have come out to Rumpus in the streets to raise money for a nonprofit group each year, for 16 years to celebrate Halloween.
Master-minded by 30+ year Athens artist and musician,Timi Conley, the Wild Rumpus Parade has become one of Athens’s top events of the year. “Here in Athens, Halloween is the biggest holiday of the year…. The centerpiece of it all is the Wild Rumpus Parade & Spectacle downtown” -Flagpole Magazine. And the Athens Banner-Herald writes, “This parade is considered one of the best Halloween parades in the country.”
Everyone in costume is invited to march, for free. The event starts at 5 pm at the “Rumpus Rally” with bands on stage at Creature Comforts Brewery, for crowds of decked-out participants. People gather, streets are blocked off, there is a 4-block open container festival zone for the thirsty beasts, vampires, and jelly fish puppeteers. At 8 pm, with the sound from the conch shell, thousands of people begin the Wild Rumpus parade through the streets. Crowds flock to view the costumes, to dance to the music and entertainment along the route, and to hang out with all the costumed parade walkers, culminating in a massive DJ dance party in the street until 11 pm. Wild Rumpus attendees are then invited to the “Midnight Howl” Official After-Party at Paloma Park to continue the fun until the late night bells chime!
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ALL DETAILS: www.wildrumpus.org
CONTACT
Executive Director, Timi Conley
email: wildrumpus13@gmail.com
Instagram @wildrumpusathens
Facebook @wildrumpusparade