Over the years, traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating in neighborhoods has expanded to a variety. of alternatives. One of them was the recent Pumpkin Walk around the old Lake County Courthouse in Crown Point.
“This is a great community event that allows the entire family to participate together during daylight hours,” said Julie Wendorf, Director of the Crown Point Community Library, who co-hosts the affair with the City of Crown Point. “The unique location of the downtown square makes this event different from traditional trick-or-treating held on Halloween Day or trunk-or-treat events.”
By offering it on the Saturday before Halloween, it’s a more relaxed time that allows children of all ages and their families to make it an all-day affair since the restaurants and shops also are open for business.
The annual Pumpkin Walk has been going on for decades, with attendance and the number of businesses giving out candy increasing each year.
“This year, 30 businesses participated,” said Mary Freda-Flores, Communications Director for the City of Crown Point. “Last year, we had more than 2,000 visitors, so we expected about the same amount of people or more this year.”
More Top Picks Best Sleep Headphones For Insomnia
The popular event saw numerous families searching for parking spots long before the event started at 11 a.m.
“We’ve been coming to this walk for years, my children loved it,” said Wanda Harris of Schererville, who was among the first to arrive with her granddaughter Chelsa Harris, 4. “Now I’m bringing my grandkids. Its’s such a different, fun experience for them.”
The library started its participation in the event in 2015, according to Wendorf.
“In 2015, we had only about 300 participants, but since 2020, the library has set up tables, outdoor, in front of the library,” she said. “We’ve seen our participation increase exponentially. In recent years, we have had thousands of visitors during the event. The partnership of the City of Crown Point and the library helped to elevate those numbers.”
The original event was sponsored by the Lake Courthouse Foundation, but it ceased its sponsorship in 2020. Some of the other businesses on the square continued to host the event, but in 2021, due to the growing participation and the necessity of a safety plan, the City of Crown Point took the lead.
Crown Point Girl Scout Troop #35838 gathered in the library’s meeting room to change into their costumes and get their empty candy bags at the ready before going out on the Walk.
“We usually meet here (in the library) twice a month for our regular meetings, so we decided to have our annual Halloween party before the Walk began,” said group co-leader Illiana Haymond of Crown Point. “It’s so nice the girls have the chance to do their trick-or-treating during the day in a safe place. In addition, during the walk, families can become familiar what this downtown has to offer as the kids get their candy treats.”
Sue Ellen Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.