Photos by Marie Mccolm Anfernee Romero, his wife Krist, son, Xyrie, and their dog dressed up for the Downtown Monte Vista combined Halloween event on Friday, Oct. 28. Adams Street was blocked off and packed with people participating in the Downtown Monte Vista combined Halloween event on Friday, Oct. 28. People flocked to tables for candy and other goodies on Adams Street in Downtown Monte Vista during the combined Halloween event on Friday, Oct. 28.

MONTE VISTA — The streets were bustling with tiny goblins, little witches, incredible Hulks, little zombies, characters from “Toy Story,” “Paw Patrol,” and “Hocus Pocus,” in Downtown Monte Vista on Friday, Oct. 28. An estimated 1,000 people took part in the combined Halloween Festival, Moonlight Madness and Trunk-or-Treat. 

This year, five non-profit groups came together for this grand event that took place up and down Adams Street and at various other participating businesses.

The Mystic Valley Art Council, the Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce, the OptiMystics Citizens Action Network, the LOR Foundation, and the Monte Vista Emergency Food Bank collaborated on the afternoon event.

There was live music, a pie eating contest for the kids, and there were at least 12 cars registered giving out treats from the trunks of their cars, some of which belonged to businesses. SLV Boces was at the event, along with MV firefighters, and the Monte Vista ambulance crew, and Monte Vista Eye Care Center.  

Resident Anfernee Romero attended the event with his son Xyrie, who was dressed up as “Toy Story’s” Woody character, and his wife Krista, who was dressed as a Barbie, along with Anfernee wearing a Pizza Planet shirt. The family also had their dog dressed up as a hotdog for Halloween.

“This is a fun event for my family,” Anfernee Romero said. “My son is really enjoying this.”

Resident Dana Martinez attended the event with her grandchildren, Briana and Lorena. Martinez was dressed as a witch and her grandchildren were dressed as little witches.

When asked what their favorite part of the event was Briana said, “I like the candy a lot. My sister likes the dinosaur. My Grandma tell us him isn’t real, but we saw him eating some candy. He is real.”

Dana Martinez said that her two grandchildren were enjoying the event.

“They are really excited about the inflatable dinosaur,” she said. “The girls are so happy; they keep chasing the dinosaur and offering him candy and giggling. I did tell them he wasn’t real, but they don’t believe me. We saw a lot of our friends here and the music makes us dance while we go trunk-or-treating. I think it’s great for our town that so many people are bringing their kids here.”

Several of the people who had cars in the Trunk-or-Treat portion said that they ran out of candy and had to buy more to give out to the kids.

Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” music was played during the event, and some of the adults danced to the music in the middle of the street.

Resident Cristina Martinez, who was dancing, said, “This is the most fun I have had in a while, it’s good clean fun. My kids are walking around trick-or-treating for candy, and I am dancing in the street to the thriller and eating a sucker, just watching the kids walk around in these fun costumes. I am loving these costumes. The mayor’s wife, Jen, is dressed as Annabelle, too. I got a kick out of that. This is just fantastic!” 

A small ceremony was also held during the event. The efforts of Katy Kelly of the Mystic Valley Arts Council were publicly recognized by the other non-profits who put on the event. She also received a $50 gift card.