A ‘BOO’st for Halloween

Roger Varley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

All the superheroes were there: Batman, Batgirl, Spiderman, Iron Man, Captain America, the Ninja Turtles. There were everyday heroes too, like policemen and firefighters.

A few of the costumed kids who sought candy and treats at the Bridge Social during the BIA’s Spooky Saturday. Photo by John Cavers

Fairy princesses walked side by side with witches and skeletons, while a racing car, an airplane and a prancing pony manoeuvred between them. All congregated in the downtown area on Saturday for the BIA's annual Halloween ‘Spooky Saturday’ candy giveaway, with at least 30 retailers and businesses taking part.

Dragons and ladybugs munched on popcorn, while lions and pirates stuffed their pumpkins with chocolate bars. There were even a few pumpkins carrying pumpkins. For a couple of hours, Brock Street was inundated with all manner of characters and creatures and some creations that defied description. But not all the costumed candy seekers were children: a good many adults also paraded in their Halloween best.

Most of the stores on Brock were jammed with trick-or-treaters, but that did not necessarily mean business was up. Julia McDonald of The Bridge Social said it was primarily a goodwill event for the town. Shelley Macbeth of Blue Heron Books said it didn't translate into extra book sales, but hoped the goodwill would bring people back to the store in the future.

It wasn't just the downtown stores participating: a number of locations in the south end of town also welcomed the costumed cavalcade.

Later Saturday afternoon, the Uxbridge Historical Centre hosted a Halloween Fright Night, with most of the buildings at the historical centre decked out in decked out in spooky decor. There was candy, scary stories, crafts for children and a tactile station.