Downtown trick-or-treat date changed

Friday, October 14, 2011

We have a change in the 2011 Greencastle Halloween trick-or-treat schedule.

The annual downtown Greencastle trick-or-treat event, sponsored annually by Main Street Greencastle, is now scheduled for 4-6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31 on the courthouse square.

Originally announced as set for Friday, Oct. 28, the event has been changed to coincide with the traditional Oct. 31 Halloween observance, as has always been the case in the past (unless Halloween fell on the weekend).

Organizers say parents appreciate only have to dress up their youngsters one time, and for many small trick-or-treaters, the two-hour block of time downtown is enough fun without having to venture out after dark.

So organizers have agreed to change the date from Friday, Oct. 28 to Monday, Oct. 31.

In order to provide for safer trick-or-treating downtown this year, the Greencastle City Police will employ a uniformed officer to assist in helping trick-or-treaters cross Jackson Street (U.S. 231) at Franklin Street (from the Banner Graphic building to the north side of the square).

On the south side of the square, parking will be restricted in area in front of the boarded-up site of the old Mason's Jewelers store (where access to the sidewalk is cut off). Barricades will be put up to separate that area from vehicular traffic on the square and allow youngsters safe passage along that side of the street as well.

Meanwhile, individual Putnam County communities have established trick-or-treat hours for Halloween 2011.

All community trick-or-treat hours limit such activity to the holiday itself on Monday, Oct. 31.

Specified trick-or-treat hours include:

Greencastle -- 5-8 p.m.

Cloverdale -- 6-8 p.m.

Fillmore -- 5-8 p.m.

Bainbridge -- 6-8 p.m.

Roachdale -- 7-9 p.m.

Russellville -- Not yet available.

As is the custom locally, residents welcoming trick-or-treaters to their home are urged to turn on their porch light during the appropriate period. Likewise, revelers are asked to skip homes that do not have their outside light illuminated.

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  • Downtown Trick-or-Treat. Will the walk thru/around the south-side of the square between Indiana and Jackson Street have some extra safety in place with no sidewalk available? Cars are parked to the point adults have to take their senses up a notch just to past thru the car maze and drivers backing out and not giving an opportunity to get around. I see this being a Very Dangerous situation with the extra amount of people and traffic along with the excitement! Then again maybe they will just stop and create a wall of ghost & goblins in a cartoon sort of way...

    -- Posted by macvrod on Fri, Oct 14, 2011, at 12:56 PM
  • I agree with macvrod. This is a very dangerous situation for everyone who will be walking around the square, especially with masks covering their eyes. However, it has been a very dangerous situation for almost a year now. Trying to maneuver around the cars that have stuck their hoods up along the fence and waiting to back out will be VERY DANGEROUS!!! But after a year, who do you think cares?????? Sure not the city.

    -- Posted by Sharon@hotmail.com on Fri, Oct 14, 2011, at 1:14 PM
  • Chill out. There will be barricades along the south side of square to allow people to walk around it. GPD has also said they will provide an officer to help people cross North Jackson at Franklin (Banner Graphic corner). So, yes, safety is being addressed.

    -- Posted by Sour Grapes on Fri, Oct 14, 2011, at 4:00 PM
  • Hope you are correct Sour G, wouldn't want to see an accident happen and some children hurt because of bad planning.

    -- Posted by macvrod on Fri, Oct 14, 2011, at 4:57 PM
  • You know I hear the complaints, but not one person has said thank you to the merchants for providing a safe trick or treat enviornment for the kids again this year. Let me help you! THANK YOU GREENCASTLE MERCHANTS FOR PROVIDING THE CHILDREN WITH A FUN SAFE EVENING. IT IS REALLY APPRECIATED.

    -- Posted by whatruthinking2 on Fri, Oct 14, 2011, at 6:58 PM
  • someone always has to ***** and complain

    -- Posted by zeegron on Fri, Oct 14, 2011, at 7:56 PM
  • As one of the downtown merchants of two businesses & both businesses are Chamber Members, I thank you, whatruthinking2 for your comments above. I also was wondering if any barricades were going to be set up around the area on east Washington. It is very congested in that area. No info was given out to us about the Trick or Treat night till just recently and wasn't aware of any help with the flow of foot traffic around the temporary wall. Yes, the GPD does patrol and help with crossing for this event always and is appreciated for their involvement! I do hope the sidewalk gets opens up safely for Fridays night event. I for one don't want to see someone injured and then we as merchants be a part of something that was out of our control.

    Thank You,

    Lester & Judy Wilson

    Affordable Framing by Wilson's Photography...Formal Wear

    & Buzz Bomb Graphics

    DownTown Greencastle Merchant..

    -- Posted by buzz26 on Sat, Oct 15, 2011, at 10:30 AM
  • Thank you for sharing the hours for most of the community. And thanks to those who shared the police detail info for the wall around the former Mason's property as well as the Banner's corner of the square. Sounds like it will over all be much safer than in years past, which is v. reassuring.

    -- Posted by miraclemom3 on Sat, Oct 15, 2011, at 12:10 PM
  • What would it take to have the square blocked off (like they do for the parade) for the trick-or-treaters on the square? It can be done (partially) for the farmer's market too.

    -- Posted by fillmore resident on Sat, Oct 15, 2011, at 12:15 PM
  • Thank You Steve for your interest in getting this back on Halloween night. Thanks to the Banner Graphic for placing this change so quickly online and in plenty of time for all to adjust to the change. Thank You to the City & GPD for their help with all the extra foot traffic around the square.

    Lester & Judy Wilson

    -- Posted by buzz26 on Wed, Oct 19, 2011, at 8:43 PM
  • Not to stir the pot but with all the complaining...Why don't some of you adults volunteer to serve as crossing guards during these hours? It can't be that difficult to get clearance from GPD to do this.

    -- Posted by J_Mason on Thu, Oct 20, 2011, at 11:31 AM
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