Saturday delivered what seems like a typical Halloween around these parts – a cool, damp evening.
That’s yet another reason I loved what took place inside the Downtown Chatham Centre that afternoon – Malloween!
I slid over to the mall in the early afternoon to snap some photos, and was impressed to see families streaming into the DCC, with the kids all dressed up for trick or treating.
Inside, the place was alive with activity as kids went from store to store getting treats.
Chatham Mazda from Chatham Voice on Vimeo.
There was also face painting, a treasure hunt and other activities.
All indoors out of the elements, not that the afternoon weather was all that lousy, but given the damp reality of Saturday night, this was a great option for families.
It is a safe environment, as the mall was brightly lit, and full of families during the afternoon.
The folks who attended got a good start on trick or treating. For some, that would be all the kids would need, and they could stay warm and dry. For others, a few stops at the homes of friends and family would be the perfect end to the day, as the little ones could show off their costumes and get some select treats. And still more would go out in their neighbourhoods, but may very well have cut their soggy trek short, knowing they had a starter supply of goodies from the mall.
Hats off to the DCC management and to the storeowners for organizing and participating in such a great family event. Chances are not every store saw increased sales that day with the high amount of Halloween traffic, but don’t think for a moment that the adults weren’t getting a good look at the variety of stores and merchandise offered up under one roof.
It was smart marketing and a nice treat for the community.
An a tip of the Halloween mask to the parents – some of whom took the time to dress up themselves and get into the spirit of the day – who brought their children.
Halloween victory lap
Our 13-year-old daughter went out for one last Halloween trick or treat. I suggested she skip it this year, as she’s a teenager after all. But she loves hanging out with her friends and loves chocolate, so off she went.
Next year, she’s handing out the candy. That’s been my job for many, many years. Maybe she and a couple of friends can have the Rocky Horror Picture Show playing or something.
Speaking of horror, I had to tune into Turner Classic Movies Saturday and caught a vintage Christopher Lee horror movie. I loved those 1960s horror flicks growing up. Heavy dose of cheese.
They don’t really stand the test of time in terms of scare factor, but are fun to watch nonetheless.
