Michelle Quail, of Osoyoos Credit Union, shows one of the posters promoting the return this year of Trick or Treat Main Street on Halloween. (Richard McGuire photo)
For the second year in a row, Main Street Osoyoos will become Halloween Central as businesses participate in Trick or Treat Main Street.
The event is organized by Osoyoos Credit Union and in particular by Michelle Quail, business development officer with a credit union and a devoted fan of Halloween.
“It’s my favourite,” she said. “I honestly think I like Halloween more than Christmas. But don’t tell Santa.”
There are several changes this year. For one, Oct. 31 falls on a Saturday, which means Main Street merchants don’t need to wait until school gets out to face hundreds of ghouls, goblins, fairies, witches, princesses, mummies and superheroes.
Unlike last year, there are also fixed hours for this year’s event – from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Quail notes that some businesses such as the two major banks normally close on Saturdays, but staff will still be coming to distribute candy to children in front of their branches.
Last year’s event was extremely popular. Maybe too popular for some businesses that underestimated its success. Quail said some businesses saw about 300 children and even those that saw less traffic faced at least 200.
And stores selling candy probably made a killing selling to other businesses that ran out and had to keep going out in search of refills.
The event is being organized for businesses on Main Street extending between Cactus Ridge and AG Foods, said Quail, although she expects some businesses outside that area will also welcome children.
“We haven’t expanded the area just for the pure fact that there are safety hazards for the kids,” she said. “We are a highway and the walking distance gets quite far for kids.”
Quail said she’s tried to reach all the businesses in the area to inform them about the event, but it hasn’t been possible to reach everybody yet. Any business that has not received a letter can contact her at Osoyoos Credit Union at 250-495-3735 or by email at [email protected].
Businesses will put up posters indicating that they are participating in the event and welcoming trick or treaters. Participating businesses will also be listed on the event’s website.
Quail said the credit union is organizing the event for two reasons. First, it provides a fun and safe environment for children to trick or treat. Second, it brings families to Main Street and local businesses.
It’s similar to what some larger cities do at shopping malls, she said.
“We don’t have a mall, but we have a main street,” Quail said.
Last year, many seniors enjoyed seeing the children both downtown and at Cactus Ridge, Quail said.
The event will also dovetail with Halloween Howl, organized by the Town of Osoyoos at the Sonora Community Centre. That event will feature a carnival for children from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the gymnasium and a haunted house from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the dungeons below the centre.
Quail said she especially enjoys Halloween because it’s a fun time for all ages. Now that her three-year-old twin daughters are reaching Halloween age, she’s enjoying it even more.
“It’s just a time where you get to play,” she said.
This year’s Trick or Treat Main Street will feature exciting prizes donated by local businesses, she said. There will also be a photo booth in front of Osoyoos Credit Union from noon to 2 p.m., and costumes will be judged from the photos where families give consent. Photos will be distributed to families by email.
“You don’t have to go out and buy a fancy costume and spend a lot of money,” said Quail. “Some of the best we saw were homemade costumes, which were really fantastic.”
For more information, visit trickortreatmainstreet.com.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
