More than 2,000 children 12 and under are estimated to have attended the annual Pickens “Trick or Treat on Main” sponsored by the city and Cannon Memorial Hospital on Main Street.
The hospital coordinated about two dozen vendors to greet children on the street and welcome the fall season – most in Halloween garb Saturday afternoon. The vendors who set up booths along the route through downtown ranged from churches to restaurants to Pickens service businesses.
At 6 p.m. the line of children and parents stretch for approximately six city blocks. Officials counted more than 650 children under 12 passing one point uptown during the course a 20 minute time period in a line stretching three block. Each child typically had two adults with him. That could put total turnout at 8,000 to 10,000 people over the three hour span of the event. Two years ago, the crowd was estimated at 11,000.
A volunteer at the Freedom Biker Church booth saw it as a good way to meet people. He was recommending that they attend a concert at the church on City View Circle in Pickens later in the evening. Adults joined their children dressing in costumes.
Lots of smiles were shared around the event. Jessi Hendricks, 4, came from Sumter to visit her Nana, Jessie Mae James of Pickens.
One kitty cat reported that she had a lot of fun and “got a lot of candy.
The event began 15 years ago on the lawn of nearby Cannon Memorial Hospital and was moved to Main Street in collaborative effort with the city. The city street allowed for strollers and wheelchairs better than the former location.
Post a Comment
