Church St will host thousands of costumed revellers — both the two- and four-legged varieties — during a week of Halloween events running Fri, Oct 24 to 31.
Halloweek, produced by the Church-Wellesley Village Business Improvement Area (CWVBIA), culminates on the night of Halloween — a Friday this year, so you know it’s going to be packed out.
“After last year there was concern expressed about crowd control and many BIA merchants complained about congestion,” says CWVBIA coordinator David Wootton. “So this year we’ve moved the entertainment stage to the north of Wellesley, into the Beer Store parking lot.”
The stage kicks off at 8pm with hosts Deb Pearce and Richard Ryder and features burlesque troupes The Saucy Tarts and Cinnamon Hearts, DJ Cajjmere Wray, Screaming Queen drag shows with Donnarama, Lady X and Ivory Gawths and more. The public costume contest starts between 9:30pm and 10pm; volunteers will go out among the audience to hand out wands — easy to recognize from the stage — to 50 contest hopefuls. There will also be a DJ stage set up on the deck of Veda (506 Church St), with DJs Alain and Quinces spinning from 8:30pm. The stages close at 11pm.
The fun goes late with 14 bars and clubs serving till 4am: from Straight and Voglie on the north end of the strip, to Woody’s and Play at the south end, plus Fly, which hosts Halloweek’s Orange Ball.
A more wholesome event — though still with plenty of bum sniffing — runs the weekend before at the Sat, Oct 25 Village Fair in Cawthra Square Park, with a kids’ carnival running from 11am to 2pm followed by a Pet Parade costume contest hosted by Miss Conception. “This is the kind of event that could take off in the future,” says Wooton. “It doesn’t cost a fortune and the city wanted something that celebrates children.
“Let’s face it, we all love dogs, but cats are welcome, too. And if you have a rat, dress it up.”
For more on Halloweek check out Scaring Up Support or visit Halloweek.ca.
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