Halloween on Bainbridge is a Fun Time, Downtown, and in many a Neighborhood!

The wind is blowing, the leaves are falling, the sky is gray, and darkness is quickly descending upon us. It must be Halloween. America’s new favorite holiday is unfolding today and kids (and adults) everywhere – including Bainbridge Island – will be donning costumes and venturing out into the night.

Bainbridge has many celebrations leading up to today’s main event at area schools, churches, neighborhoods and places like Bainbridge Gardens and Bloedel Reserve. But the grand-daddy of them all is Trick-or-Treating in and out of the stores on Winslow Way in Downtown. It’s a tradition that started decades ago with Vicki Rauh at the Chamber of Commerce, and has since been taken over and managed by the Downtown Association.

If you’re like me, you probably have some Halloween memories. Mine lean more toward the Trick as opposed to the Treat. Yes, I can remember emptying out my pillow case full of goodies on our living room floor back in the day and counting my horde of candy, not to mention apples, popcorn balls and cookies wrapped in wax paper.

But I have more vivid memories of pulling off crazy kid pranks like soaping windows, toilet papering cars and houses, and lighting bags of dog doo on fire on people’s front steps (something I never did personally but only witnessed. I swear!). It was all in good fun, until one year when I was caught by my angry neighbor soaping his window. I had to go back the next day and clean it up, which I did. Lesson learned!

Many years later on Bainbridge Island, I took my daughter out Trick-or-Treating in our neighborhood, and in succeeding years with some buddies and their kids, we scoured places we suspected had “good booty” like Wing Point, Commodore, and Meadowmeer. One year we walked by a parked van that was emptying out a bunch of kids with costumes and bags. A dad yelled out, “Be back at 8:30, so we can catch the next ferry!” Obviously, our island is considered a safe place to Trick-or-Treat, and those kids you may be passing out candy to tonight could be from across the water, or over the bridge.

But looking back, Halloween night on Bainbridge Island always starts with a romp down Winslow Way, where Trick-or-Treating is held from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. The evening, sponsored by BIDA and the City of Bainbridge Island, includes other activities as well. Besides merchants and other organizations – including the Bainbridge Island Police Department and City Hall – passing out candy, Cook Family Funeral Home will be offering complimentary hot apple cider, and Eagle Harbor Church will have hot dogs for a UNICEF donation.

Also happening:

Pet-O-Ween: Enter a photo of your pet in costume in and around Winslow on Instagram or Facebook today using the hashtags #BIpetoween #BainbridgeDowtown. A winner will be randomly selected by Nov. 5 and will receive a $50 gift certificate to BI Barkery and $50 in gift certificates to the Bainbridge Island Farmers Market (gifts sponsored by BIDA).

Bainbridge Climate Smart: Recycle your Halloween candy wrappers at the green “Trick or Trash” box just outside of Ace Hardware.

Traffic Reminder: Winslow Way between Ericksen and Madison will be closed to through traffic from 3:00-7:00 p.m. today. Have a safe and fun Halloween.

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