Hundreds dress up for the fifth annual Trick-or-Treat Trail Walk in East Chezzetcook, N.S.

Hundreds of families came out to the Gaetz Brook Greenway in East Chezzetcook, N.S., Saturday for the fifth annual Halloween Trick-or-Treat Trail Walk.

“Community members are coming from all over HRM,” says Angela Bonang, one of the organizers. “It’s a product of donations from community members, many business, and organizations across HRM.”

The trail walk started just after the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to get the community together to do something fun. Over 49 treat stations and dozens of volunteers are taking part.

“Each individual’s business has their own treat station, so everything is supplied by that organization but also community members give donations of money and treats,” says Bonang.

Last year 1,200 trick-or-treaters and their parents showed up. Around 3,000 people walked the 4 km trail in total says Bonang.

“It’s fantastic, I get emotional,” says Bonang. “It’s nice to have some fun.”

Gisele Arsenault volunteered for the trail walk the past two years. She says the event brings her a lot of joy and she loves to see the kids having fun.

“It warms my heart,” she said. “I can’t even explain. It makes me so happy.”

• In Pictures: Trick-or-Treat Trail Walk in East Chezzetcook, N.S.

Darrin Butcher, who owns Atlantic Tiltload, volunteered with his family for the first time this year but he says it certainly won’t be their last. He says the event is a great way to celebrate Halloween.

“Just dressing up, passing our treats, and you now give treats to the kids and be part of the festivities,” says Butcher.

“It is a completely free event and solely based on the donations that we receive from individuals, businesses and organizations,” says Bonang. This year, she and her team added a hot dog fundraiser to support the Wainwright family who lost a loved one.

“We did lose a community member and very close friend, so we wanted to bring the community together and raise as much money as we can,” says Erin Joudrey, another volunteer.

Jessica Harris’s family is among those who’ve made the trail walk an annual tradition.

“We come for the kids, they have a blast,” says Harris.

Nicole Jackson and her daughter Hazel also make the walk part of their Halloween every year. Jackson says it’s a safe way to trick or treat with little ones.

“It’s important that we don’t fall into the trap of hiding behind screens and things like that and get out and actually interact with people and keep the tradition of Halloween going,” Jackson says.

Parents come for the costumes and the kids. The kids come for the candy. With Halloween night less than a week away, the excitement is only growing.

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