Chilmark the ox, Bella the puppeteer and an assembly of costumed children will lead this year’s Halloween parade in Vineyard Haven, organizers told the Tisbury select board earlier this month.

The Oct. 31 parade will start at 4 p.m. and feature a truckload of zombies as well, Elaine Barse of the Vineyard Haven Business Association said at the Oct. 11 select board meeting in Katharine Cornell Theatre.

Downtown merchants will have candy for trick-or-treaters and Ms. Barse said the business association is also lining up fog machines, a bubbling cauldron and other festively spooky touches for the holiday.

Tisbury police are aware of the plan and have indicated no objections, she said.

Halloween plans for the William street neighborhood, traditionally a trick-or-treat hotspot, have not yet been finalized, select board chair Roy Cutrer said.

In a hearing that drew no public testimony, the board approved an all-alcohol license for the ArtCliff Diner.

“It’s something that people have been asking about for years … We’ll see if it works out,” said chef-owner Regina Stanley, who reopened the diner last month after a multi-year renovation.

“It’s been crazy busy,” she said, adding that she’s seeing customers who have traveled from off-Island to sample the ArtCliff menu.

“I closed Tuesday because we were out of everything, and I had to open for them and cook for them because I felt bad they took the boat over,” Ms. Stanley said.

“I didn’t expect it to be that busy,” she said.