Registration open for fourth annual Escanaba Spooktacular Trunk-or-Treat

ESCANABA -- Registration is now open for businesses, organizations and individuals who want to participate in the fourth annual Escanaba Spooktacular Trunk-or-Treat, set for Sunday, Oct. 18, in downtown Escanaba.

Hosted by the Escanaba Downtown Development Authority, the event will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Center Court at 11th and Ludington streets.

Children are invited to dress in their Halloween costumes and enjoy an afternoon of games, activities and trick-or-treating. Instead of going door-to-door, children will visit decorated vehicles along Ludington Street to collect treats from participating businesses and organizations.

The event is held in partnership with the Teal Pumpkin Project of Delta County, helping make Halloween more inclusive for children with food allergies and other dietary restrictions.

All participating trunks will offer non-food treats in addition to, or instead of, candy. Items may include stickers, bubbles, spider rings, small toys and other giveaways.

"This event just brings a lot of hope to those families that for a day, their kid can participate just like every other kid, without much to worry about," said event coordinator Samantha Gaudino.

Gaudino knows the problems that food allergies can be while trick-or-treating, giving her a personal connection to the importance of making Halloween activities accessible to all children.

"My own child has food allergies, and it can feel really dreadful going into a Halloween season, or any holiday for that matter," Gaudino said.

Businesses, organizations and individuals are encouraged to register a trunk and help create a fun and welcoming Halloween experience for local families. Trunks can be registered at escanabadda.org/trunk.

Participating vehicles will be parked along Ludington Street between 10th and 13th streets.

Trunk participants will decorate their vehicles and compete for prizes while handing out candy and non-food treats to children.