Emerald Ash Borer to offer scares at Denver Halloween Parade

DENVER — The emerald ash borer will be on hand in all its horror at the inaugural Broadway Halloween Parade on Oct. 21, offering a taste of the scary reality the invasive forest pest presents Denver’s ash tree population.

Hosted by the Broadway Merchants Association and City Council Lucky District 7, the community-friendly Broadway Halloween Parade will begin at 6 p.m. in the eclectic and funky Heart of Broadway. Specifically, the parade route will stretch from West 3rd Ave. to West Alameda Ave. along South Broadway.

The parade is set to feature various spooky floats, bands and marchers, and all attendees are encouraged to join in the fun by wearing a Halloween costume. And yes, not only will there be an emerald ash borer (EAB) in attendance, the Be A Smart Ash campaign will be passing out a pair of fun trick-or-treat bags for all kids — and maybe even a few adults — in attendance.

If you do end up with a bag, remember the tree-ality behind this campaign: 1 in 6 trees in Denver are ash trees, and if we do nothing, it’s just a matter of time before they’ll all be devoured by the emerald ash borer (EAB).

But as scary as that fact may be, who wants to be a Debbie Downer when you can Be A Smart Ash? Spend some time on our site and learn how you can help protect your ash and our urban canopy by identifying, treating and replacing Denver’s ash trees.