Main Street saw wall-to-wall trick-or-treaters Saturday during the seventh annual Scarecrow Row parade in Downtown Klamath Falls.
Hosted by the Klamath Falls Downtown Association, the parade hosted kids and families from all over the area showing off their Halloween best.
Association Coordinator Chantal Alatorre said the crowd of ghouls and goblins, and no small amount of Elsas, were just what her group was looking for.
“The kids seem to be enjoying themselves, and it is about them,” said Alatorre.
She said, since the event began to grow after starting in 2008, they have come to expect around 1,000 to 1,500 participants, and this year was right on the mark.
Coming since the beginning has been Mark G. (as he wished to be identified) of Star Wars Oregon, a movie-accurate costume group which attends annually to support the event and local members.
Mark said he has seen local residents become more comfortable participating as the crime problems downtown have diminished, and said he is glad to see so many families enjoying themselves.
“That’s what a city needs,” he said. “Smiling, happy people.”
Alatorre said the events offered have continued to grow as well, including pine cone bird-feeders offered by Klamath District Garden Clubs.
District Director Tanja Swanson said her group became involved this year after attending downtown association meetings.
“Last year, I was here as a spectator and it was so much fun,” she said.
This year, club members showed kids how to make bird-feeders by covering pine cones in peanut butter and then birdseed before hanging them outside.
“We’re not just flowers, we’re everything that’s involved in gardening,” said club member Sharon Bush.
Alatorre added voting for scarecrows placed by local businesses has been upgraded and, instead of a panel of judges voting on each one, the public can cast its votes through likes on Facebook.
“Whatever picture gets the most likes is the winner,” she said.
As for the parade, the Alice in Wonderland scarecrows outside the Oregon bank Building were leading with 31 likes.
The parade is one of multiple projects undertaken by the association to help improve the look and economic climate of Downtown Klamath Falls. To learn more about their ongoing events and activities, visit www.downtownklamathfalls.org
Originally Published in Herald and News
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