This Halloween Auburn held its 19th annual Downtown Trick-or-Treat. Children in costumes lined the streets with adults in tow as local business owners passed out candy.
At the front entrance sat the Auburn University Cheerleaders and the Tiger Paws, greeting children decked out in their Halloween best.
Co-head Cheerleader, Javan Henderson, made his fourth annual appearance at the event. He said he thinks the event is a great time to get to know the community.
“We set up where anybody and everybody can come and meet us,” Henderson said. “The little kids will never get [another] chance to meet us and get to have a conversation with us, and I think this is a rare opportunity for the community to get to know us, even though it’s colder this year.”
At the heart of the event, there was a long line of children and their parents waiting to get a balloon animal from a balloon artist while a group of dancers performed.
The Downtown Merchants Association and the City of Auburn Parks and Recreation Department put on this year's event. Local businesses were open and decorated for the occasion.
Auburn Art had its doors wide open and costumed employees meet the children.
Janie Oelmann, who works at Auburn Art and has worked during the Downtown Trick-or-Treat for the past three years, said the store did a few things different to prepares for the annual event.
Workers decorated the store and bought several pounds of candy in bulk. This year they decided to put the candy in a cauldron, Oelmann said.
"We also all really get into dressing up here, all the business owners do," Oelmann said. "It's really fun to dress up as things kids recognize because when they see you they get really excited.”
The cold weather this Halloween didn’t seem to scare off the young trick-or-treaters this year, as children filled the downtown streets.
Children dressed in costumes ranging from Minecraft characters to princesses participated in this year's costume contest.
DJ Ozz, a local musician, and Aubie made guest appearances to entertain the attendees and encourage them to participate in the various activities available. Members of Auburn High School's Key Club were also set up to offer face paintings.
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