Airdrie kids and families are in for a scary good time as the Boo at the Creek Halloween festival and fundraiser returns to Nose Creek Park on Oct. 30 from 1 to 4 p.m.
“It’s designed as a family-friendly Halloween festival with the intention of getting families in Airdrie out during the day when it is hopefully a little bit brighter and warmer,” explained Paige Cairns, committee chair and founder of Boo at the Creek. “Kids can dress up, and we can reignite the spirit of Halloween and community coming together – and it is all in support of the Airdrie Food Bank.”
According to Cairns, there will be about 26 different stations set up in Nose Creek Park during the day, each offering different games and activities. There will be magicians, stilt walkers, face painting, live dance, interactive musical performances, and a general atmosphere of family fun and excitement.
“The most important thing, the value we have always stuck to, is that everything is free,” stated Cairns, who said the only entrance fee to the event is either a food or cash donation for the Airdrie Food Bank.
“I don’t think many of us realize how close we might be to having to access a resource like the food bank,” explained Cairns. “Everyone has a can of beans they can spare, for the most part. It makes it accessible to everyone and helps raise money for a great cause in our city.”
For the price of an additional food bank donation, families can also come out and get their photos taken by three local professional photographers, who once again are donating their time for Boo at the Creek. According to Cairns, the free photo service was something her committee started during the COVID-19 pandemic, when public health restrictions made it difficult to hold their usual larger-scale event. It proved to be a very popular new offering for the festival.
“I thought about what opportunities that maybe some families do not have because of socio-economic constraints,” recalled Cairns. “And family photos were one of those. That is where we (the committee) came up with the idea to offer the photo sessions for a donation to the food bank. It was such a hit that we carried it forward.”
Cairns said she and her fellow committee members are beyond excited to be able to bring back a larger scale festival event once more this year.
“That sense of community and connection, and people (not) being able to get out and be around other people has taken a toll over the last couple years,” she acknowledged. “We are excited to have the event back, and have it bigger and better than ever.”
As has been the case before, weather is a bit of concern for Oct. 30, but Cairns said she is crossing her fingers the long range forecast of 7 C for the day holds true.
Still, she reckoned, coming out to an afternoon event in Nose Creek Park, even if it is chillier, is likely still more comfortable for families with young children than going out on a cold evening after dark on Oct. 31.
“Most parents have costumes that are accommodating to the weather; so as long as people are bundled up – it runs 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. – they can come and go as they please,” she said. “So if they can come down for 20 minutes or they can come down for three hours– it's still a great opportunity to get out and be a part of (the event).”
