Downtown Orillia was swarming with monsters and characters of tame and macabre origins on Saturday morning.
The first-ever Monster March event, organized by the Downtown Orillia BIA, was a succes, said executive director Deron Johnston.
From 11 to 11:30 a.m., people waved from windows along Mississaga Street as the costumed party paraded down the sidewalk.
Most vendors and participants initially didn’t know what to expect for the inaugural event. Kelsey Beesley at My Moon Collective remembered the Easter event this year and was prepared for plenty.
Some participants in the parade were unaware of the event until a couple of days ago. Some vendors decided last minute to be involved because it can be difficult to both run a business and hand out treats. Nonetheless, they donned costumes and purchased candy to make it a success.
With a chance of rain, most people hoped the weather would hold out, but those like the Ramakko family were prepared to brave whatever came. They remembered trick-or-treating in a blizzard last year, so the cool autumn wind did not stop them from taking part this year.
With Halloween being on a Thursday, the weekend of seasonal events snuck up on many. Steve Orr at Dapper Depot made sure to have at least 70 treats to hand out, despite the uncertainty of numbers.
At the end of the parade, there was trivia and prizes were awarded. One monster knew where Halloween originated and received downtown dollars to spend.
The excitement did not wane from marching to trick-or-treating. Since the BIA opened the event to anyone, young and old, to dress up and have fun, the costumes were diverse.
Many parents dressed up with their little ones and enjoyed playing with themes. The parade even had the littlest Big Bad Wolf, whose mom dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood.
Not everyone took to a theme, however. The Lazary children mixed both funny and scary costumes; a whoopee cushion, a sloth, and Ghostface from the Scream franchise munched on treats before setting off with the group.
As the parade concluded, children rushed to visit the 47 vendors who handed out candy. Though the weather felt like rain, few noticed or cared since “it’s better than last year,” as one parent noted.
