Photo by Sharon J. Alfred 11th Mission Support Group Commander Col. Brian Anderson, dressed as Uncle Sam, leads the way for trick-or-treaters in the annual Halloween parade march through base housing on Bolling AFB.

Children (and parents) in costumes of every sort came out to march in Bolling AFB’s annual Halloween parade.

The parade took place on Oct. 30, beginning in the Geisboro Park parking lot, winding through base housing, and ending in the market square in front of the Bolling Library.

The Halloween parade was led by 11th Wing Mission Support Group Commander Col. Brian Anderson, who dressed as Uncle Sam.

He pointed and said, ‘‘I want you” to join the parade, as he beckoned to those who already had begun to trick-or-treat in base housing.

There were many trick-or-treaters out and about this day because the base commander had decided that trick-or-treating would be done during the early evening on Oct. 30 because Halloween fell on a Saturday.

Personnel from 11th Services, such as Darrilyn Young, the chief of family member programs and Robert McCullough, the chief of community support flight, attired in full regalia, marched alongside Colonel Anderson in the parade. Also in attendance were the 11th Services character, ‘‘the Goose on the Loose” and its customer-service satisfaction mascot, the ‘‘Smiling Dill Pickle.”

The parade ended in the market square area in front of the library, where more children already had gathered inside.

Regina Williams, a library aide, estimated that about 30 to 40 children had assembled at the library to do arts and crafts (coloring in scary Halloween drawings) or play pin the nose on the jack-o’-lantern.

Other children waited for the parade to end by watching ‘‘Franklin’s Halloween,” an animated video featuring Franklin, the beloved turtle.

‘‘This (event) gave us a chance to show folks what the library can offer to the community in a festive light,“ Williams said.

The market square was jammed with people, as the parade-goers filed in and the children who had been in the library came out to participate in the costume judging event.

There were approximately 250 people present. Young welcomed them and looking over the crowd, said, ‘‘This is definitely more people than at last year’s parade event.”

Chief Master Sgt. Robin Johnson, of the 11th Wing Command; Chief Master Sgt. Marcus Schaeffer, the 11th Mission Support Group superintendent; and Chief Master Sgt. Michael Saltalamachia, the 11th Security Forces Squadron manager, called out the age ranges and costume categories to be judged.

There were more than 18 separate costume categories, such as: best superhero, best villain, best cartoon character, best homemade, most original, most realistic, the scariest, the bluest, the red-ist, the one with the most facepaint, the one with the most feathers, the one with the most stripes, the one with the longest tail, and the child with the most missing front teeth.

The winning contestants received AAFES gift coupons worth $20.

After the contest, the children and their parents either returned to the library for more activities and refreshments, or they proceeded to the Youth Center gymnasium, where tables filled with treats were set up by the Youth Center staff, the Drug Demand Reduction Program folks, and the Airman and Family Readiness Center personnel.