Willy Wonka, Tom Sawyer, the White Rabbit and the Cat in the Hat were on parade at Decas Elementary School Friday.

About 600 students, costumed as literary characters, paraded around the perimeter of the school's field, as hundreds of parents and grandparents watched, took photos and waved.

Teachers and staff also got into the act. Assistant Principal Wendy Miranda dressed as Victor the Vampire from "Lively Letters." Assistant Principal Jo-Anne Gibbs was the Queen of Hearts.

Special education teacher Michelle Skulnik noted that the more popular costumes included Elsa from "Frozen" and Minions from "Despicable Me".

“The students were really excited. It was hard to keep them contained this week,” Skulnik said.

“The character parade is aimed at promoting reading and literacy,” Principal Donna Noonan said. “It's a way to integrate learning, but still keeping the fun of elementary school.”

The parade is an annual event, but this is the first year it included a charitable element. Noonan dressed as a giant donation bucket. All money collected will be shared with families in financial need.

Amy Walsh came to see her granddaughter, first-grader Julia McMahon, who was dressed as a candy corn witch.

“She was so excited about it that she was nervous that she's walking in the big parade," Walsh said. "She wanted me to come to make sure everything is okay.”

Danielle Franklin's daughter Lily, a kindergartener, was dressed as Ariel the Little Mermaid.

“She decided on that costume, because she found a really cool mermaid fin while shopping in a store,” Franklin said.

Megan Kuras' daughter, second-grader Makenna Singleton, made a peacock costume.

“I don't know why she decided on that,” Singleton laughed.