By Khalida Sarwari
Downtown Saratoga was the scene of jack-o’lanterns, scarecrows and little ones dressed up as ninjas and fairy princesses galavanting about Big Basin Way at the Witchy Walk-A-Bout last Saturday, filling their bags with as many treats as they could find.
Around every corner, when they weren’t busy stocking up on fun-size Snickers bars and Reese’s peanut butter cups, the trick-or-treaters were getting their face or nails painted and pausing to have their pictures taken.
“It was a great day,” said Councilwoman Jill Hunter, who along with the Saratoga Village Development Council organized the Oct. 25 event. “I loved seeing all the children in costume, and people were happy and loved being down there.”
Though it rained a little, it was not enough to deter the children from going about their candy-collecting mission along sidewalks dotted with nearly two dozen scarecrows. Even the merchants got into the festivities by dressing up in costume. Hunter said last-minute complications put a dent in her plan to dress up in a full witch’s costume, so she dressed in black and handed out candy bars outside of Agnes Women’s Boutique.
Witchy Walk-A-Bout is Saratoga’s annual Halloween event for the younger children in the community. The event started more than a decade ago to bring children to the Village and give them an opportunity to see other children’s costumes and go trick-or-treating during the day. This year, around 400 people embarked upon the Village, some from as far as Santa Clara and San Jose, according to Hunter.
“One lady said, ‘Oh, I’m going to have to come back here; I’ve never been here before,’ ” she said.
Next up for the SVDC is a wreath-decorating activity in mid-November. The Village Gardeners will restore about 35 wreaths that were created by various merchants and give them to city workers who will then put them up on light poles around the city for the holidays.
Link: With Witchy Walk-A-Bout, Halloween comes early in Saratoga
