Our rural neighbourhood Halloween gathering has been successful for the last handful of years but this year was even better when I could provide a meal to share with everyone! As this wasn’t the first time I’ve organized a trick-or-treating parade in our neighbourhood, everything was fairly easy to plan. After emailing the neighbourhood blockwatch group and other friends within the area plus word of mouth, I announced the grant winnings that will cover the cost of pizza for everyone.
Our neighbourhood isn’t exactly walking friendly for young children as most residents live on acreage, have driveway gates and the homes are very spread out. This is where some of the parents/grandparents got creative and created a hayride wagon pulled by a tractor to transport the children between houses. The neighbours generously opened their doors to the local families as a way to meet and connect with neighbours and create a truly, unique Halloween experience for both children and adults!
Despite the heavy rain at the beginning of the night, families put in an amazing effort with tents, decorations, costumes and countless treats for everyone! The kids had an absolute blast going from property to property and the pizza was shuttled along our trick-or-treating route so everyone could enjoy a tasty meal.
I supported a small, local pizzeria by purchasing all our pizzas through them. The only challenge that I encountered was a delay in the pizza delivery which led to a later start time for the trick-or-treating and therefore the main part of our gathering was hosted in the dark. This didn’t stop friends and neighbours from showing up and socializing!
Our neighbourhood Halloween gathering just celebrated it’s 7th annual event and it continues to be a highlight for all. It has been very rewarding to continue this unique tradition and build on its momentum every year. Thank you Neighbourhood Small Grants for understanding our event and supporting the meaning behind it.
