Children’s Halloween is in downtown Durango from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday. I look forward to this event every year, as does my family.
A record 96 businesses will be handing out treats, goodies and surprises this year. This amazing turnout is attributable to the hard work of Robert Stapleton at Southwest Sound, downtown Durango’s only record store at 922 Main Ave.
Just two years ago, 75 businesses were signed up. But because of Stapleton’s hard work, we have seen an increase of nearly 30 percent.
Children’s Halloween in downtown Durango is meant for children 10 and younger, in costume, accompanied by an adult. It provides a safe and fun place for families and kids to trick-or-treat.
Why do the downtown businesses participate? One reason is business owners and their employees like to dress up in costume just like everyone else. It’s also a lot of fun to see hundreds of kids up and down downtown’s sidewalks. Downtown businesses give back to the community literally every day, responding to requests for donations, auction items and more. Children’s Halloween is just another way that they support locals.
Some businesses will even offer specials for the adults who come downtown with their kids. Coupons, special deals and even the occasional candy bar are offered up for adults.
Last year, I dressed up as a reggae guy, and my son was a really bad Richard Simmons. Come downtown this Saturday to see what we are this year, and to have a safe and fun time with your kids. A list of all the participating stores can be found at DowntownDurango.org/Halloween, or just look for the bright, orange pumpkin signs in the windows of the stores that welcome you and your family.
After Halloween, we will quickly move into the holidays. We are hard at work planning the annual Singing with Santa event for the Friday after Thanksgiving. Mark your calendars for Friday, Nov. 27, for yet another family-friendly event. We will meet at First National Bank of Durango. Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive, and we will follow them on Main Avenue singing Christmas carols along the way. We’ll end our caroling at Buckley Park, where we will light the community Christmas tree.
Free cookies and hot chocolate will be available, as well as photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus after the tree is lit. Bring your own camera for the photos. Singing with Santa will take place from about 5:45 to 7:30 p.m. Make plans now to bring your family to downtown Durango the day after Thanksgiving.
To keep up with everything the Durango Business Improvement District is doing, sign up for our weekly E-News. The E-news is a short, accurate and timely information piece published every Wednesday morning with information you need to know about downtown and north Main Avenue happenings. To sign up, text DURANGOBID to 22828 or go to DowntownDurango.org/newsletter.
timw@downtowndurango.org. Tim Walsworth is the executive director of the Durango Business Improvement District.
