Deadweird

Here Are Some Top Halloween Celebrations on Main Street USA

We feel pretty confident that one of the favorite holidays for a lot of adults on Main Streets Across America is Halloween.

After all, when else do you get license to dress up and wander in public as a cowboy. Or a super hero. Or a villain. Or a ghost.

This year is sure to see some wicked, if you’ll pardon the pun, observations because there’s an entire weekend to celebrate. In a lot of towns, Halloween starts on Friday and runs all the way through Monday.

We took a look back at some of the communities we visited earlier this year for our Main Streets Across America feature to see how they celebrate.

And, not surprisingly, there are some great events out there.

One of our favorites is Deadweird in Deadwood, South Dakota, where a featured part of the weekend is the Monster Ball on Friday followed by a costume contest on Saturday.

It’s clear that kids old and young get in on the act in Deadwood.

In historic Baker City, Oregon, the emphasis is on the kids for the annual Downtown Trick or Treat, where a stretch of Main Street is blocked off while children go from business to business for treats.

Historic Baker City, by the way, offers some common sense tips for all of us:

  • Parents should accompany the kids
  • Light-colored clothes should be worn or there should be reflective tape on costumes
  • Carry a flashlight
  • Wear costumes that fit properly so you can see and to prevent tripping.

The little ghouls and goblins will be making the rounds in downtown Mesa, Arizona, also, for Halloween on Main Street.

There’s trick-or-treating at more than 40 downtown businesses, plus music in a new pedestrian alley.

In Madison, Wisconsin, the kids are a little bit older for the annual Halloween festival known as Freakfest.

Madison is a college town and prior to 2006, Halloween on State Street got a little bit out of hand. So Freakfest was created and it’s developed into a music festival on the Saturday closest to the holiday.

There are three stages this year, on State Street, Gilman Street and Frances Street.

Sounds like a great time. All of these events do. So, wherever you are this Halloween weekend, no matter how old or how young, in costume or not, may you have a safe and festive time.

Our photo is from Deadweird in Deadwood, South Dakota, courtesy Deadwood.com/Brian Speidel

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