BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Several “spooky” events are being held across central Alabama today to help families and kids enjoy a traditional Halloween night.
Several communities are working hard to provide a memorable Halloween experience, and one Mountain Brook family started a unique tradition several months ago.
For the past 20 years, Trent Wright and his family have hosted the Mystics of Mountain Brook Halloween Parade, the ultimate kick-off to trick-or-treating.
Wright called the parade a labor of love. Several neighborhoods, school systems, and community members will come together to make this happen.
He said about 30 larger-than-life floats with various themes can be seen. They bring about 5,000 people. The parade is similar to Mardi Gras and is fun for all ages.
“In my opinion, it’s a lot more fun to go and catch something than just go look,” Wright said. “So we’ve always decided, ‘Let’s make this like Mardi Gras.’ So when you come, expect to find T-shirts, beads, moon pies, stuffed animals, trinkets and more.”
The parade starts at 4 p.m. and takes approximately 45 minutes.
Monsters on Main Street is a one-stop shop for families in Columbiana. Community Affairs Manager Ali Payne said about 65 businesses and organizations set up tables to hand out candy to about 2,000 children.
She said everyone is dressing up and getting creative with costume themes, noting it’s a safe way to trick-or-treat and builds community spirit. .
“We’re between 65 degrees and 280 degrees above sea level, so you have to be intentional about coming to Columbiana,” Payne said. “So we want people to come here. And it’s a great way to introduce people to our little town and show them how nice it is.”
Families begin lining up at 4 p.m., and the little “monsters” begin walking down Main Street at 4:30 p.m.
This year, there are also entirely new opportunities. Vulcan Park and Museum presents the Vulcan Spooktacular on Tuesday evening.
Guests can enjoy trick-or-treating at the museum, photo opportunities, free popcorn, music, and more. Pets can also come along and enjoy outdoor activities.
Director of Marketing and Public Relations Amanda Hare said they are excited to welcome the community to the spooky celebration while sharing a unique perspective of the Magic City.
“But we would love to leverage the lighting component,” Hare said. “The Kiwanis Club of Birmingham is very fortunate to have given us the opportunity to light this statue, so we are looking at various community events we can do throughout the year to take advantage of that lighting.
“For example, at Magical Nights, we have a sound and light show. As this event continues to grow each year, we hope to be able to introduce spooky Halloween lights each year.”
Vulcan’s Spooktacular will be held tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. The observation tower will be open to the public for just one night, then closed again to complete the restoration project.
Tickets cost $6 for ages 13 and older, $5 for ages 12 to 5, and free for children 4 and under, according to Vulcan. Admission is free for Vulcan Park & Museum members.