Calling all ghosts, princesses and superheroes – Halloween Howl is returning to downtown Concord this Friday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and all of you are requested to join in the fun.
And don’t worry, if you plan on dressing up as anything else, like a scary monster, a character from Stranger Things or even Big Bird, you should make your way to Intown Concord’s premiere fall event.
It’s one of the few times that Main Street is closed to traffic, so you can take the kids and wander down the middle of the road without a care in the world.
The main attraction for the evening is the trick-or-treating, where downtown businesses will hand out candy for the evening to all the dressed up kiddos. Think of this as a nice little trial run for the kids before the big night – plus, it’s extra candy.
“A lot of them don’t just hand out candy. They get dressed up and make a big deal of it,” said Kate Fleming, events and outreach coordinator at Intown Concord.
But Halloween Howl is a lot more than just trick-or-treating at local shops. First of all, as you’re roaming around, piped in music will give the downtown area a real spooky, Halloween feel. And if you make your way down to Bicentennial Square, Mr. Aaron will be giving a special performance.
For the first time, Intown Concord is hosting a jack-o-lantern contest. They want people to bring their pumpkins, already carved, to City Plaza from 4 to 5 p.m. to be put on display for the evening. A panel of judges will score each one and prizes will be given out to the top three. So put a little extra time into this year’s carving because it could win you more than just kuddos from the neighbors.
DJ Nazzy will once again get the kids up and moving with the All Hallows’ Eve Main Street Dance Party with lights and fun music infront of Remy’s Block on the corner of North Main and Centre streets.
The YMCA is bringing back the haunted bus, so anyone looking for a little scare can stop by for a visit. It’s meant for all ages, but just be advised that it will be a little spooky so it might be too much for the real little ones.
Sticking with tradition, Nazzy will lead a costumed parade down North Main Street beginning at 6 p.m., so anyone dressed up in costumes (big or little) or who just wants to be part of a parade can join the fun. But if you plan on taking part, we suggest dressing up. You don’t want to be the only person not in costume.
Concord Parks and Recreation will be on hand with all kinds of games and activities, along with something we’ve always wanted to take part in – a doughnut eating contest. That’s right, you can stuff your face with lots of doughnuts and it won’t be looked upon as a bad thing. The contests will be happening all night at City Plaza, but just make sure to sign up and secure your space.
“People love the usual, but they want more,” Fleming said.
There will be a photo booth at the corner of Warren and North Main streets thanks to Live Free and Smile, who will have fun Halloween photo strips available. The best part is that it’s all free and the photos strip will be texted to you, so you don’t have to find a spot to keep it safe along with all the other things that come with taking the kids out for a night on the town with thousands of others.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, there’s a surprise that will be revealed that night. You’ll just have to go and see what it is.
“There’s a few things we added this year that people are going to love,” Fleming said. “We wanted to add some new things to help take it to another level.”
How can you argue with free family fun?
North Main Street will be closed from 4 to 8 p.m. and there will be lots of people, so plan for a few minutes of extra time to be ready for the increased traffic on surrounding streets and to find a place to park.
For more, visit intownconcord.org/index.php/ event/halloween-howl.
