Costumed kids careen to Old Colorado City

       Two Halloween events brought more than 1,500 youngsters to Old Colorado City.
       About 1,000 trick-or-treated in the annual Halloween Safe Treats event in Old Colorado City Monday, Oct. 31, estimated Lori Kasten of the Old Colorado City Associates (OCCA) merchants group.
       Up to 700 children, accompanied by adults, participated in The Peak 95.1's Peak Street carnival in Bancroft Park Oct. 29, said Cindy Weller, who coordinated the event for the FM radio station.
       The Peak Street number was less than last year's 1,100, but “we had a lot of fun with the kids,” she said.
       According to Kasten, Safe Treats this year “ was a true success. I think the parents who brought the kids will ultimately come back.”
       One of the merchants, Cathi Hilfers of Rocky Mountain Embroidery, has been handing out candy in front of her store on Halloween for 25 years. “I love it,” she said, between waves of demons, angels and other pint-sized costumed characters Oct. 31. “The kids love it, and it gets them out before dark.”
       Kasten was not sure how long ago the Old Town trick-or-treating has been going on, but Hilfers recalled it starting about two years after opening her store. Before that, the merchants had some Halloween-related events in Bancroft Park, she said.
       For Safe Treats, participating merchants provide candy for their own stores, while the OCCA stations volunteer high schoolers in front of closed stores to hand out OCCA-purchased candy and toys. Different high schoolers have helped in the past; this year it was the Widefield Debating Club.
       In its fourth year, this was Peak Street's second year in a row at Bancroft. Weller said that despite the smaller crowd - which she attributed in part to cool, “ominous” weather - “our sponsors said they gave out more toys and candy than last year.”
       Both Colbrunn Court and 24th Street (west and east of the park) were closed off this year, allowing the activity to “spread out more,” she said. The event also had sponsorship tie-ins with the OCCA.

Westside Pioneer article