Trick or treaters file down Main Street in search of candy. (Photo by Betsy Allen)
Children and adults dressed in their Halloween finery lined both sides of Main Street in Hurricane on Saturday, October 29, for the Main Street Trick or Treat event. People were so eager for the event to begin that many arrived almost an hour early, resulting in the trick or treating starting fifteen minutes ahead of schedule because of the sheer number of families who were waiting. Amanda Ramey, Assistant City Manager, estimates that there were somewhere between 2,000 and 3,000 people who attended the event, and stated that it felt like the entire city of Hurricane had come out.
In addition to candy and treats, children could listen to spooky stories told by Putnam County Library volunteers who had set up a storytelling area in the Putnam County Bank drive-thru. My Messy Desk, located on Dudding Avenue, hosted a spooky craft session in which children could create ghosts and fanciful monsters.
Main Street businesses that handed out candy included Belknap Dough Company, Four Seasons Salon, Bear Wood Company, Putnam County Bank, Hurricane Floral, Main Street Creamery and Grill. On the opposite side of Main Street, businesses set up booths or decorated their vehicles for the occasion. These included H&R Block, Rotary Club of Putnam County, Zone Out Sports, KDE Technology, Prime Lending, Tudor’s and Gino’s, Putnam Wellness Coalition, Truist Bank, and the Hurricane Fire Department. Carnival games and cotton candy were provided by Quantum Rentals.
The only real trick of the event was the magnitude of treats which businesses provided.