More than 20 minutes before the parade began, people lined the route and attempted to get a good view of St. Nicholas, the angels and Krampus monsters at Krampus Night, an event that brings monsters of Alpine folklore to life in town.
Children and adults alike bundled up to brave the quickly dropping temperatures for a chance to interact with Krampus.
One child proudly declared he was naughty as the crowd began to gather in the street. As the parade began, people shouted hello to St. Nicholas and his angels.
Claire Clayton and Gary Neff, Bloomington residents, stood waiting.
Both of them had already received stickers telling the monsters whether they were naughty or nice. Angels had walked by early on and passed the stickers out, each bearing a cautionary note that, should a person decide to label themselves as naughty, they may attract the attention of the Krampus.
Clayton said this part of Christmas has been buried away but is being revived.
Neff said the monsters’ story comes from medieval Alpine folklore in which bad kids learn to behave because of fear of the Krampus. The goal of this event is to share that history.
“It was hilarious,” Clayton said, describing a Krampus trying to scare a child who then turned around and hugged him last year.
Clayton said she was anticipating something amazing and visual.
On the other side of the street, 9-year-old Blake Jackson proudly bore his ?“naughty” sticker on his hat.
He said his mother, Jamie Jackson , showed him a video, and since then he has been excited to see the Krampus.
Jamie, wearing a “nice” sticker, said people at her work had been talking about the event and made her ?curious.
Though she said she wasn’t sure exactly what to expect, she said she thought Blake would enjoy the night and be excited to see ?everything.
As the start of the parade drew closer, people leaned heavily against the barricade strings.
Angels passed candy out to the “nice” people in the crowd. Behind them, St. Nicholas walked the streets, greeting people as he passed.
Then came the Krampus.
Led by a steel drum and banners, the Krampus rushed back and forth to either side of the street. They carried dolls resembling children in baskets at their waists and scared naughty children and adults.
A man cracked a fire whip on the ground as a dancer with her wings on fire moved about.
The Krampus screamed in people’s faces, causing them to scream back in both fear and delight. They rang loud bells and swatted at people’s faces and feet. Some even spat fire.
Bruce Barker , Birdie MacDonald and John Brooks also came out for their first Krampus experience.
Brooks said the parade was a short, rebellious ?hodge-podge.
MacDonald said the event was a great way to get outside in December in Bloomington, even for people who don’t celebrate Christmas or other holidays.
Most people probably wouldn’t normally want to be out on a cold night like this, Brooks said.
At the end of the parade, people gathered in clusters in a parking lot. They huddled around heaters or crowded around straw beds meant to keep the Krampus close and under control.
Some people taunted the Krampus and dared to get close enough to take ?pictures with them leering in the background.
Every so often, though, one would slip out into the crowd to sneak up on visitors, causing sporadic shrieks to spring up from the crowd.
Kel McBride, director of Krampus Legend and Arts Workshop, described the event as lively and energetic with a combination of fear and delight.
She said there was not a passive participant in the crowd because everybody wanted to be personally involved with the Krampus.
Later that night, the monsters would be loosened and allowed to roam freely through Bloomington.
“We love seeing the children scream with terror and joy,” she said.
