HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Delivering spooktacular trick-or-treating on Halloween
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. As a kid, I loved having the chance to dress up in costume and parade around the neighborhood with my friends, like we were all participating in some sort of whimsical fashion show where princesses, zoo animals, superheroes and ghouls – are all part of the masquerade celebration.
And then, of course, there were the enormous bags of candy we would lug home afterward. The bounty filled huge bowls with chocolate, bubblegum, lollipops and Tootsie Rolls. lasting until nearly Christmas some years.
I’ll never forget fourth grade when my Mom went all-out on a spider costume she made for me. My classmates couldn’t even figure out who I was until I removed my mask. I won third place in the costume contest that year. I’ve considered myself somewhat of a Halloween expert ever since. Thanks, Mom.
Although kids these days have video games, and social media, and live in a completely different world than when I grew up, the excitement surrounding Halloween hasn’t seemed to fade one bit. Parents, however, have gotten smarter. Many have substituted walking miles through neighborhoods going door-to-door, stopping at random houses by attending local community events. Their kids collect treats along with play- ing games and receive a big slice of wholesome Americana and a sense of community.
The annual Boo Bash on Main in Sealy is one such event, which provides all the nostalgic “spooky season” trick-or-
treating traditions for local children, but in a safer, more controlled environment than when I was a kid. While dino- saurs and cartoon characters attend Boo Bash, their parents can relax and focus on making new memories with their littles, without worrying as much about checking their child’s bounty for dangerous items as my parents always did.
This year’s Boo Bash will take place, as usual, in the Main Street area, around the clock tower in downtown Sealy, from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31, said Tressa Alley, Area Publisher for The Sealy News.
LOCAL FAMILIES LOVED POSING IN THEIR COSTUMES AT THE SEALY NEWS’ PHOTO BOOTH TO CREATE LASTING MEMORIES AT LAST YEAR’S ANNUAL BOO BASH. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SEALY NEWS
A LINE OF BRAVE SOULS ENTERS ONE OF THE HAUNTED HOUSES DURING THE 2023 BOO BASH ON MAIN. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SEALY NEWS.
“The Sealy News puts on the event every year and is in the planning process again. This is year 17,” said Chelsea Humes, Executive Director of the Greater Sealy Area Chamber of Commerce, who has assisted with the event for many years.
“The event usually brings out about 3,000 people,” she added, “Our police and firefighters donate their time as security for the event and pass out candy.”
Each year at this outdoor festival, costume contests are held for several different age groups of children, and there is one for the adults as well. Tractor rides, barrel train rides, bounce houses, haunted houses, food trucks, face painting, games, and live entertainment will be included in the festivities. Vendor booths are also available for local artisans and businesses. The 15-foot by 15-foot booth spaces are free, but registration is required, and all vendors must agree to give out treats and provide some type of game or fun activity for families to enjoy. The deadline for registration is Oct. 25 this year. For more information and vendor registration, go to sealynews.com/form/boo-bash-on-main.
AUSTIN COUNTY STATE BANK EMPLOYEES DRESSED UP IN A 101 DALMATIANS THEME FOR THEIR BOOTH AT LAST YEAR’S BOO BASH ON MAIN EVENT. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SEALY NEWS.
KING KONG THREATENS TO CLIMB THE ICONIC MAIN STREET CLOCK TOWER AT THE 2023 BOO BASH. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SEALY NEWS.
According to Sealy News Office Manager Carrie Waid, the costume contest at the 2024 Boo Bash will be run the same way as it was last year, with first and second- place winners for each age group, including adults. Waid added that this is her first year planning the event, and said, “I want to make sure it is just as fun for the kids as it was the first year it was held.”
Take the advice of this Halloween expert: attending the annual Boo Bash on Main is an ideal way for Halloween lovers in Austin County to insure more treats than tricks for their whole gang this year.
If you open your child’s trick-or-treat bag this year, and find a potato inside, there is no reason to be alarmed. Yes, it is a real potato, and, No, there’s nothing wrong with your child or your neighbors. It’s just a very old tradition that’s being made new again in the light-hearted spirit of Halloween.
The growing trend of offering trick-or-treaters a choice between Halloween candy or a potato has gained popularity in recent years, thanks partially to social media. Giving out potatoes can be traced back to Ireland, and the origins of trick-or-treating.
Kids love that it is something unusual, and the spuds definitely have more nutritional value than candy, which is a small win for parents.
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