Toronto 
Ghosts, zombies or ghouls, whatever your fears are, watch them appear at the Night of Dread Parade, an annual event by the Clay and Paper Theatre.
Clay and Paper Theatre
What is Night of Dread Parade
On Saturday, October 25, the much-anticipated Night of Dread, a family-friendly community event, hosted by Clay & Paper Theatre, returns to Toronto.
This event beckons residents and visitors to confront, ridicule, and banish their personal and shared fears with a unique blend of parade, pageantry, music, and ritual.
Attendees are invited to carry puppets, participate in the procession, and enjoy theatrical spectacles, including the announcement and confrontation of the “Fear of the Year.”
The evening will culminate in a bonfire, where fears are symbolically burned, offering participants a chance to leave feeling less burdened by the unknown.
What to Expect This Year
- Puppet Central (3:30 – 5:30 p.m.): Attendees can sign out “Big Fear” and “Small Fear” puppets, character masks, and costumes at the Dufferin Grove Rinkhouse. This area serves as the central hub for volunteers and participants.
- Opening Performances (5:00 – 6:00 p.m.) – Basketball Court:The evening opens with The Dufferin Groove, a New Orleans–style jazz trio (5:00–5:30 p.m.), followed by The Witchy Witches leading a participatory dance (5:30–5:45 p.m.). At 5:45 p.m., The Magpie Club—a youth stilt-walking troupe supported by the Kiwanis Club of Toronto—presents an incantation exploring environmental themes. The performance features guidance from Zita Nyrady and Vanita Butrsingkorn, with appearances by Richard Underhill, Alan Gasser, and Emma Whitla.
- Parade (6:15 – 6:45 p.m.) – Dufferin Grove Neighbourhood: The parade winds through nearby streets including Dufferin Park Avenue, Havelock Street, Hepbourne Street, Delaware Avenue, and Dewson Street, before returning to the park.
- Pageant Performance (6:45 – 7:15 p.m.) – Soccer Field:On the park’s soccer field, Co-Artistic Directors Tamara Romanchuk and David Anderson lead the main theatrical performance. The event includes fire spinning by the New Model Circus Army and a dramatic burning of the year’s chosen fear.
- Forest of Shadows (7:15–7:30 p.m.) – Park Grove:
Audience members are guided through an illuminated corridor of shadow screens created by artist Kristine White and local participants. The installation reflects community-collected fears and hopes, accompanied by an audio soundtrack. - Concert in the Valley (7:30 – 7:50 p.m.) – Park Valley: The night concludes with a performance by Georgian vocal ensemble Ori Shalva, led by Shalva Makharashvili, in the “Valley of Resistance and Rejoicing.”
- Forest of Shadows Installation Continues (7:50–8:45 p.m.) – Park Grove: Following the concert, the installation remains open for further viewing, offering attendees a chance to reflect before leaving the park.
Night of Dread Parade Map
Credit: Clay & Paper Theatre
The annual event is free, but you can support the parade organized by Clay and Paper Theatre by donating online.
Trip Planning — Night of Dread Parade
Credit: Clay and Paper Theatre
What: Clay & Paper Theatre presents the annual NIGHT OF DREAD, an evening of fearful pageantry, revels and mockery. At this much-loved, family-friendly community event, Torontonians are invited to call on, mock and banish their private and collective fears through parade and pageantry, music and masquerade.
When: Saturday, October 25, 2025, Approximately 5:00pm to 8:45pm
Where: Dufferin Grove Park, 875 Dufferin St. Toronto
How much: Donations appreciated; Pay-What-You-Can
