Hastings hosts early Halloween parties

By Graham P. Johnson
Posted 10/30/24

Hastings hosted not one, but two Halloween parties over the weekend with the Community Halloween Party taking place at the high school on Friday, Oct. 25, and the Downtown Candy Crawl taking place on …

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Hastings hosts early Halloween parties

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Hastings hosted not one, but two Halloween parties over the weekend with the Community Halloween Party taking place at the high school on Friday, Oct. 25, and the Downtown Candy Crawl taking place on 2nd Street on Sunday, Oct. 27.
Lines of princesses, dinosaurs and superheroes crisscrossed Second Street on Sunday, Oct. 27 for the Halloween Candy Crawl, hosted by the Downtown Business Association. Downtown businesses and pop-ups from local churches and organizations handed out candy.
“We were told to have 3,000 pieces,” said Hastings City Council candidate Mya Beck at the event.
This year’s Halloween Candy Crawl collected personal care items for Hastings Family Service including travel size deodorant, shampoo, razors, soap and toothbrushes.
Children scurried between stands, decorated pumpkins at the Second Street Depot, and ate candy as music played from the DJ set up in the street. Parents leaned over the bounce house set up in front of Hastings Family Service, watching their costumed children pass through. One particularly long line was that to the cotton candy machine run by Jenn Melecio, owner of the Lock and Dam Eatery.
“It won’t stop until five,” said Melecio, spinning cones in the machine for parents and children alike.
The event drew crowds large enough to run through some stall’s candy, forcing them to scramble to get more mid-event. Barb Hollenbeck, owner of SC Toys, was not surprised at the number of attendees.
“It’s good weather and free candy […] and the Vikings aren’t playing,” she said.
While the unseasonably warm weather held for the downtown trick-or-treating, the forecast for Halloween doesn’t look as inviting. A chance of rain and highs in the 50s on Halloween is more average than the warm October thus far, but isn’t ideal for running house to house for candy.
The Community Halloween Party, another fundraiser for Hastings Family Service, hosted families at Hastings High School for games and activities. Attendees were asked to bring non-perishable food items to donate to Hastings Family Service or make a donation to the Youth Impact Council Scholarship. At the event were giveaways and prizes provided by local businesses as well as costume contests for gift cards to local businesses.