The free family-friendly Halloween festival, Boo at the Creek, was first held in 2015 organized by several local moms looking for a way to give back and create a fun community Halloween event.
The event takes place at Nose Creek Park on Oct. 29 from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. with games, crafts, music, candy, prizes, a photo booth, surprise guest appearances, and of course the excitement of dressing up.
“Once into the park we have over 20 activities set up this year,” said organizer Paige Cairns. “Things ranging from Halloween games and crafts, face painters, a magician, and we have a DJ that will be down at the park for the afternoon.”
Boo at the Creek came to life when Cairns felt somewhat let down by the trick-or-treating experience with her young son many years ago.
The Halloween-loving mom saw it as an opportunity to spread some Halloween spirit by hosting a festival that also provided a way to give back to a local organization close to her heart.
“I grew up in a family where giving back was really highlighted and as a single mom, I knew that I wasn't in a position where I could make a huge donation financially,” Cairns said. “But this was something that I felt I could coordinate that might make a bigger impact.”
By donating her time and passion, Cairns and some friends organized the first Boo at the Creek for 500 people in attendance in 2015.
The group of moms stayed up late and created games and crafts, Cairns said, and ended up with two truckloads of donated food for the food bank.
“What started as a little idea has just grown, and it's still all the women on the committee that helped to plan and organize [the first one],” Cairns said. “We're all full-time working moms and just do this on the side. We come together to try and continue to create that opportunity for families to come out and engage within the community, and give back and hopefully raise some much needed money for the Airdrie Food Bank.”
Admission into the festival is a food or monetary donation to the Airdrie Food Bank.
“I think this year more than ever, people are recognizing how close they are to needing to access the food bank,” Cairns said. “And we know that the call out from the Food Bank has been greater this year than any other year where they're really looking for support and donations so that they can keep up and help serve families within Airdrie that need to access that resource.”
Boo at the Creek raised just over $10,000 last year, including food, with $7,000 raised through an online auction.
Over eight years of Boo at the Creek, they have donated just under $50,000, which Cairns hopes to surpass this year.
With close to 5,000 people attending the event last year, Cairns said her donation goal is very manageable if every family brought in just $5.
With 50 per cent less sponsorship this year, Cairns said the festival is running on a smaller budget, which she sees as a reflection of the economy and reiterates the need for food bank donations.
An online auction is available to raise money from Oct. 19 to 22 on the Boo at the Creek Facebook page.
