SELMA — Marching to “The Monster Mash,” princesses, ghosts and aliens paraded from the Selma-Dallas County Library and ended at the Performing Arts Center for a costume contest in the annual Halloween Monster March.

Sparky, the Selma Fire Department mascot, served as grand marshal of the event.

At the library, children decorated Halloween cards, bookmarks, masks and ghost cutouts to fill time waiting for face painting.

“By the end of the day, they’ve had a good trick-or-treating and have toured downtown Selma,” said Becky Nichols, director at the library.

Shebra Kidd, director of the Downtown Selma Association, assisted Sparky, leading the children around downtown.

Millie Motes, dressed as Scarlet O’Hara, has participated in this event for two years.

“Last year I saw a Southern belle, and that’s what made me want to do it this year,” Motes said.

Today, Motes may wear her costume to school.

“It might be hard to get the dress in my desk,” she said.

Prizes were awarded for the cutest, scariest, funniest, ugliest, and the Miss Kitty Windham Award for the most original. Kennedy Martin, dressed as Thomas the Train, was given the Kitty Windham Award and the $25 cash prize.

Kidd created the award three years ago after Windham died.

The Monster March is sponsored by the Downtown Selma Association, Public Library and Performing Arts Center.