The “secret” is out. Halloween on White Street is a blast with many homes and businesses are going all out with spooky decorations and serving up candy to hordes of trick or treaters. This isn’t just a street party for kids, as many adults also enjoy dressing up and walking White Street dressed up in an amazing diversity of costumes.
“Halloween on White Street is officially a big deal now,” said Mark Hughes, owner of Regalia Handmade Clothing on White Street. “Halloween on White Street has been popular for the long time, but in the past five or six years, it has gotten really big. It is the easiest-to-navigate neighborhood in Eureka and people from other towns are bringing their kids here, as well. The city sees it as a fun, wholesome event to bring people to town.”
Hughes particularly appreciates the “non-stop fashion parade” as many of the families go all out to be creative with their costumes.
“Even some adults with no kids will dress up because there is somewhere to walk around wearing a costume to amuse people,” Hughes said. “This past year one family dressed up four Johnny Depp characters. Those were incredible.”
Hughes said people in the neighborhood want to retain the great fun of Halloween, but, unlike the White Street Walk street festival in May, no businesses on White Street are selling anything on Halloween. And the big crowds have put a major dent into some people’s budgets.
Hughes said he and Steve Beacham bought $200 of candy to give away on Halloween in 2015. They only gave two pieces of candy per treater, but still ran out. Others in the neighborhood had similar experiences. So this year the idea surfaced of doing a “candy bank.”
“The idea was basically because it is private citizens buying the candy to give away, it is a way to help Halloween continue to be something fun,” Hughes said. “We are happy to do it and want to do it, but don’t want it to turn into a burden. It is such a fun event and we get a kick out of the families and kids who come out. But the candy giveaway has started to cost a lot of money as Halloween has grown to dynamic proportions in the past five years, and some people just don’t have $200 to spend on candy. But they still want to be welcoming to all the people who come to White Street to enjoy Halloween.”
There is a Facebook page for the White Street Halloween Candy Bank. Hughes said they have already have several donations amounting to a washtub full of candy. People who live in neighborhoods not frequented by trick or treaters can drop off candy this year at Oscar’s Cafe, Ermilio’s Italian Home Cooking or Regalia. On Oct. 31, the candy will be combined and people can come by Regalia to get candy to give out.
Some have suggested that to avoid giving out sugary treats on a night when those are in excess, White Street residents should give out toys, apples or pencils. But Hughes said the problem is those are even more expensive than candy.
“But we are happy to distribute anything that you want to drop off for us,” Hughes said. “We need a little help with it because it is really getting unaffordable with people coming from Green Forest, Berryville, and all over.”
Halloween on White Street has gotten so popular that there have been safety concerns voiced in past years about the traffic coinciding with so many children dressed in black, including some wearing masks that can obscure their vision. The City of Eureka Springs has announced that to have a safe and Happy Halloween in Eureka Springs, there will be extra staff all along the Upper Loop to help ensure safety of pedestrians.
Vehicle traffic access will be limited to local residents and/or those with a lodging or dining destination on the Historic Upper Loop. Officers will be posted at both ends of the Upper Loop, as well as officers, reserves, and volunteers all along the Loop from 5 – 9 p.m.