As the air turns crisp, the smell of wood smoke and pumpkins freshly carved give a nostalgic 鈥撎� and a bit spooky 鈥� vibe in neighbourhoods throughout Squamish. Cobwebs appear among the sparse leaves of frontyard trees and the yellow glow of streetlights leave spaces along the sidewalk mysteriously dark and murky.听
October is a month of magic for Kelly Banna, a mother of two living in the Northyards area of Squamish, who has experienced Halloween in three countries so far.听
Originally from the United Kingdom, Banna spent four years living in Malaysia before returning to Canada a year ago. In the complex her family lived in, she led the charge on the spooky evening and transformed their neighbourhood into an all out Halloween town.听
鈥淲hen I first went over there it wasn鈥檛 really a big thing,鈥� Banna says. 鈥淚 started up my own Halloween where I involved everyone and I would go around and put letters in everybody鈥檚 mailbox to see if they wanted to participate in the trick-or-treat.鈥�
Neighbours would start at her place for a potluck dinner, then set out trick-or-treating to houses marked with a balloon or decorations. Some of the adults volunteered to dress up and walk the streets of the transformed complex to make the adventure from door-to-door all the more ghoulish.
鈥淎s the years went on, more and more people joined in so they would decorate a little bit more,鈥� Banna reminisces. 鈥淲e did a big tunnel down to the house that was all black and then they would walk into the house.听
鈥淭he first year we did vampires that were real people and they would pop up to scare everybody.鈥�
Last year Banna went all out with their new house in Squamish, complete with dead bodies in the trees and a graveyard on their front lawn. It turned out to be too spooky for the youngest trick-or-treaters.听
鈥淚t was actually a little bit scary last year. We didn鈥檛 get so many people,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to tame it down a bit this time. We saw one trick-or-treater who was dressed as a fairy and she said 鈥業 don鈥檛 want to go there.鈥� Now that I have a smaller one, as well, I realize it has to be a little bit more friendly.鈥�
Banna鈥檚 11-year-old son, Ben, is going as a ghoulish zombie and her 16-month-old daughter, Olivia, will be a cute ladybug.听
For Brandi Heron鈥檚 family, spine-tingling decorations are a big part of All Hallows鈥� Eve. She and her husband, Dana, set up a graveyard on their lawn and turn their bathroom into a gruesome murder scene.听
Heron has always been a fan of horror and her five-year-old son, Bentley, seems to be following suit. He鈥檒l be exploring the night as Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas.听
鈥淚t鈥檚 always been my favourite day of the year. We go all out. We鈥檝e already started decorating. It takes us about a month to do everything,鈥� said Heron when she talked with The Chief earlier this month.听
Since the family lives in a basement suite, they don鈥檛 get trick-or-treaters to their door.听
Heron鈥檚 go-to neighbourhood for candy looting is Valleycliffe and says one of the best haunted houses is in that area near Westway Avenue.听
After running around with the rest of the sweet-toothed creatures, they visit family at Grandma鈥檚 for themed treats and a witch鈥檚 brew.
鈥淲e make brains out of jello, we put spiders in our food, we make bloody hot dogs 鈥� all kinds of stuff,鈥� she said. 鈥淏en likes Halloween more than Christmas. It鈥檚 very popular at our house.鈥�
Creepy crafts and games transform Early Discoveries Childcare in the Garabaldi Highlands neighbourhood, where Catherine Burnette leads a pumpkin carving night every year. In preparation, the kids hang little ghosts in the tree out front and paint their own pumpkin on the window.听
鈥淲e do that with all our families so that they have an opportunity to have community time,鈥� said Burnette.听
鈥淎 lot of times when you鈥檙e dropping off听 you don鈥檛 have time to really connect. It also allows time to come and sing the pumpkin songs and then we all feast together.鈥�
For many of the children that attend Early Discoveries, it will be the first pumpkin that they transform into a jack-o-lantern.听
Burnette tells a spooky story that she illustrates with her felt board before they go outside to see their carved pumpkins glowing for the first time.听
After a recent trip to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park in Orlando, FL, she was inspired to incorporate potion mixing, broom flying and a form of Quiddtich to the activities at the daycare this month.
As for her own family, Burnette鈥檚 six-year-old daughter, Rowan, is dressing up as Wonder Woman. They purchased her costume well in advance but Burnette says there are still a lot of costumes for sale for parents who are looking for last-minute ideas.听
A chorus of small voices at the daycare howl in the background as the children in her group hear the mention of Halloween.听
鈥淚鈥檓 quite passionate about Halloween,鈥� says Burnette, counting down the days until Oct. 31. 鈥淚n the fall, as part of the curriculum, we talk about autumn and the harvest. It鈥檚 a darker time of the year and a lot of families are grieving summer and the holidays.听
鈥淚 find that it鈥檚 something to look forward to in the autumn 鈥� going on those walks and talking about what happens at a pumpkin patch.鈥澨�
Halloween events听
West Coast Railway Heritage Park鈥檚 Mystery of the Magic Pumpkin听
Oct. 28, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.听
All aboard! This is a day to explore the pumpkin patch and jump aboard the Magic Pumpkin ride for a fun-filled fall adventure. Draw a face and have your pumpkin carved by train conductors to take home. Guests must arrive at 10 a.m. to board the train.听
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Britannia Mine Museum鈥檚听Spook-tacular Halloween Weekend听
Oct. 29 and 30, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Spooky events include a train ride that ends with a spine-tingling story; the Strange Science Show is full of smoke, fire and tricks,; an eery witch鈥檚 house; the Critter Emporium with creepy-crawlies; a village fair and a chance to have a photo taken in your costume.听
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Sea to Sky Gondola trick-or-treating
Oct. 29, noon to 4 p.m.听
Youngsters will enjoy seasonal surprises, face-painting and collecting goodies at the Basecamp and the new kids鈥� Alpine Alley Trail. The first 250 trick-or-treaters can decorate a bag in the Basecamp Cafe.听
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Brackendale Art Gallery鈥檚听Get Your Martian On
Oct. 29, 8 p.m.
Wear your costume for this special night of Halloween treats while Deanna Knight and the Hot Club of Mars play the night away.听
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The Knotty Burl鈥檚听Halloween Bash downtown
Oct. 29, 8 p.m.
An adult-only evening featuring Kytami, with her classical, fiddle styles fused with the heavy bass elements of DnB, dubstep and hip-hop, with Phonik Ops, Dj Neighbour, Kit Kat and Crippledwheel.
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Howe Sound Brew Pub听Halloween Ripple Illusion
Oct. 29, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
An All Hallows鈥� Eve night just for adults featuring live music.听
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Squishy鈥檚 Halloween Party
Oct. 30, 1 to 4 p.m.
Wear your costume while partaking in Halloween games, festive crafts and a few treats at this indoor playground.听
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Haunted house at听40448 Thunderbird Ridge
Oct. 31听
Get ready to be spooked by a haunted house that annually entertains this neighbourhood in Garibaldi Estates. Trick-or-treaters are more than welcome.听
