From pirates and princesses to Christmas elves, every kind of costume filled Main Street on Friday afternoon as local families joined Lexington’s Halloween celebration.
The event, which Main Street Lexington has organized for years, drew hundreds of costumed children, parents and businesses for an afternoon of candy, laughter and live entertainment.
“It’s massive,” said Jeremy Franklin, executive director of Main Street Lexington. “You’ll see hundreds of folks downtown. Trick-or-treating brings in not just families from Lexington but also from Buena Vista and all over Rockbridge County. We really feel like this event reaches our entire community.”
The event began at 3:30 p.m. on Friday and lasted about an hour and a half. Main Street Lexington handled the street closures, entertainment and publicity, while downtown businesses and local organizations set up stations with candy and prizes for the trick-or-treaters.
“We love the opportunity to show off the charming and welcoming nature of our downtown,” said Franklin. “It’s one of those events that really captures what this community is about.”
During the event, Main Street was a sea of bright costumes, featuring superheroes, witches, onesies and even a few early Christmas characters. Some trick-or-treaters carried pumpkin baskets, while others had pillowcases and tote bags as children eagerly collected their candy from local businesses.
Among the downtown businesses participating was Rockbridge Community Services, whose staff handed out candy at a booth near Wells Fargo. Kim Shaw, executive director of Rockbridge Community Services, said that her organization has participated in this event for the past four years.
“We come down here so we can be part of the community,” Shaw said. “It’s safe, and kids can get lots of candy in one place, and they don’t have to go everywhere.”
Shaw said she loves how this event brings local businesses and community members together for a shared purpose. Her organization, which promotes mental health and wellness, uses this event as an opportunity to connect with residents in a relaxed and festive setting.
Nearby, families walked through the crowds and paused to watch the entertainment, which featured performances by Halestone Dance Studio, the Rockbridge Ballet and community member Mark Cline’s Skeleton Dance, a fan favorite on Main Street this year.
Greg Hartman, a local father who attended this event with his wife and children, said this event is a family tradition that dates back nearly two decades.
“We’ve been doing this event since our youngest was two, and she is now a junior in college,” Hartman said. “The most fun thing is watching your friends and your friends’ kids dress up. It’s a lot of people watching, honestly.”
Even as the trick-or-treating wrapped up, community members stayed on the streets to talk and connect. Franklin said that sense of connection is exactly what Main Street Lexington hopes to continue to foster.
Franklin said the downtown trick-or-treating event is one of many community events that Main Street Lexington coordinates every year, alongside the Fourth of July Children’s Bike Parade and the Lexington Christmas Parade. These events all have the same goal of uniting the community.
Over the years, the event has become a fall staple in Lexington, known for its family friendliness and festivity. In the future, Main Street Lexington intends to continue hosting the Halloween trick-or-treating on Main Street.
