TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Halloween may still be a few days away, but the holiday fun officially started with a party up and down 4th Avenue.
The street's Avenue Merchants Association hosted its annual "Trick or Treat on the Avenue," inviting families to not just celebrate the holiday, but to also support local and small businesses.
Hundreds of guests showed up dressed in their Halloween best; hordes of children were ready to collect candy and enjoy the spirited atmosphere. Throughout the day, families could show off their designs in a costume contest, grab candy from several buckets along the avenue; they could even take a spooky train provided by SunTran.
“This is a great event to get people out and see what we have to offer here,” Casey Anderson, 4th Avenue Merchants Association executive director, said. Shop workers and restaurants joined in on the fun. Maya, a server at Bison Witches, didn't want to miss out on a chance to connect with new people.
“It just puts a little pep in everyone’s step when they’re working these kinds of events," she said. Beyond a holiday-themed party, neighbors like Jose Salinas says these events serve a greater purpose.
“One of the big things downtown is we want it to stay alive, so I think shopping locally is one of the big ways to do it,” Salinas said, standing next to his son. Looking forward, the 4th Avenue Merchants Association plans to keep the spirit of local shopping thriving through the end of the year.
The organization will host a Black Friday shopping event on November 29th, followed by the Winter Street Fair, set for December 13-15.
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Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
