Skidway Halloween celebration includes parade, boardwalk trick-or-treating, party

By Tim Barnum
News Editor | news@ogemawherald.com

SKIDWAY LAKE — Halloween festivities in Skidway Lake will include a parade and a party Oct. 27 and trick-or-treating on the boardwalk Oct. 31.

April Harkey-Mason said the parade, which was established about seven years ago, will kick things off the afternoon of Saturday, Oct. 27.

“Lineup is at the Food Pride, the old IGA, and it starts at 1 p.m.,” she said. “No registration is needed. All they need to do is show up and line up.”

The parade will travel from the Food Pride to the boardwalk, Harkey-Mason said. She said parade entries will be judged on the best walking unit, best float, best golf cart and best bicycle. Harkey-Mason said she is unsure as to how many entries there will be, but added there were about 20 last year.

Bonnie Bluemlein, secretary-treasurer for the Skidway Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, said later that night, an adult Halloween party will be held at the chamber hall. Doors for the party open at 6 p.m., and the party lasts until midnight, Bluemlein said. The party costs $20 to attend. This is the first year the chamber is hosting a Halloween party, she added.

“We just decided to have one as a fundraiser for the chamber,” she said.

The $20 admission covers the cost for attendees’ beer and food at the party, Bluemlein said. There will also be dancing to music provided by a D.J., she said.

A few days after the weekend festivities wrap up, community trick-or-treating will return on the boardwalk, Harkey-Mason said. Trick-or-treating begins at 5 p.m. and ends at 7 p.m., she said.

“This is our third year doing the boardwalk trick-or-treating,” she said.

Since holding the first boardwalk Halloween event two years ago, Harkey-Mason said the number of children who have attended has increased each year. She said 642 children hit the boardwalk on a mission for candy in 2010, and 852 children participated last year.

“This year, I’m kind of thinking we’ll have 1,000 kids,” she said.

Several groups and residents will be on the boardwalk passing out candy, according to Harkey-Mason. With 1,000 children projected to take advantage of the one-stop tick-or-treating, Harkey-Mason said she is recommending people team up to pass out candy.

“Anyone who wants to pass out candy is welcome to,” she said. “I know it’s a big expense to buy 1,000 pieces of candy. I’ve been encouraging people to group up for it.”

Harkey-Mason said the boardwalk trick-or-treating event has given people who live on back roads that do not receive a lot of trick-or-treaters a chance to enjoy seeing children dressed up in their Halloween costumes.

“I don’t get trick-or-treaters at home, but I may get 1,000 on the boardwalk,” she said.

Several inflatable Halloween decorations will be set up along the boardwalk, Harkey-Mason added. She said trick-or-treaters will start at the east end of the boardwalk near Michigan Avenue and walk to the west end near Lucinda Drive.