Breaking News
Local News

Annual Alpena Trunk-or-Treat event kicks off Halloween weekend

By Steve Schulwitz 2 min read

ALPENA -- Long lines of families filled down sidewalks in downtown Alpena and youngsters received treats from local businesses and emergency first responders on Friday as the annual Trunk-or-Treat and Trick-or-Treat downtown kicked off Halloween weekend.

The Michigan State Police-Alpena Post hosted the Trunk-or-Treat event in the parking lot behind city hall where dozens of businesses, emergency services personnel, and others handed out candy and decorated their stalls with Halloween decorations.

Doreen Bowen and her three children moved single file from station to station, their plastic orange pumpkins slowly filling up with candy. She said the event is like a second Halloween for her children, who receive more treats downtown than they do near their home on Halloween.

"This is wonderful and the kids always make out very well," Bowen said. "Where we live there aren't a lot of houses that hand out candy and it is hard for me to bring the kids into town to trick-or-treat. Plus, you don't have to worry about the kids going up to houses of people you don't know."

Ava Jones is 12 years old and was dressed up as a lady-zombie. She said trick-or-treating downtown with her friends and parents is a good time. She said getting candy is nice, but seeing everybody else's costumes is what she enjoys.

I like looking at the other costumes," Jones said.

Michigan State Police Trooper Robert Mitchell, who helped to organize the event, said mingling with families and communicating with the children is a good time, and important to developing relationships. He said it is good for kids to know police and firemen are there to help.

"Building relationships is extremely important, because we see people when they're at their worst or going through hard times and we want them to see us at our best," he said. "We want to show kids that we are not just here to write tickets or take their parents to jail, but here to help and this is a wonderful way to accomplish that and show them we can have fun too."

Kids will have a few days to digest their treats before they can go for seconds. Trick-or-treating hours on Halloween in Alpena are scheduled from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Monday.

Starting at /week.