By STEVEN JUPITER
BRANDON—As another long Vermont winter finally takes its leave, we emerge from our hibernation, squinting into the sun and looking for something fun to do. And Colleen Wright thinks she has just the ticket: a new holiday called “Halfoween,” to be celebrated six months before our beloved Halloween in October. This year, the holiday’s first in Brandon, it will be held on Friday and Saturday, May 2nd and 3rd.
“People go crazy for Halloween,” said Wright in a recent conversation about the Halfoween weekend she’s hosting through Colleen Wright Events. “It’s the second biggest revenue-generating holiday after Christmas. I thought it would be a great way for people to have fun after a long winter and bring some business to Brandon at the same time.”
The Halfoween weekend will offer a combination of free and paid events, including a Witches’ Walk down Park Street on Friday at 6 p.m. People are encouraged to dress up in costume for this spooky promenade, which will culminate with music and bounce houses behind the Brandon Inn. On both Friday and Saturday at 6:30 p.m., there will be a Haunted House at the Town Hall ($10 admission, Neshobe students $5 with coupon).
On Friday and Saturday, there will also be horror movies at BARN Opera on Pearl Street (5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, $10 per person). A carefully curated selection of horror flicks will be shown for those who enjoy the genre.
On Saturday, there will be a “Mystical Market” in Central Park, featuring handmade gifts and crafts with a supernatural theme. Dunkin’ Donuts will give out treats to kids in costume between 3 and 4. And a Masquerade Ball will take place at the Brandon Inn at 8 p.m. ($25 per person).
Anyone interested in buying tickets in advance or seeing the full list of Halfoween events can visit colleenwrightevents.com.
After years working for the Brandon Rec Department, Wright knows a thing or two about putting together fun events. However, there has been some resistance to this particular “holiday,” with some Brandon residents taking to social media to express their skepticism. None of it fazes Wright.
“We need fun in our lives,” she said. “We made it through COVID. We’ve made it through another Vermont winter. We need to have fun together again.”
So come to downtown Brandon this weekend and join in the “Halfoween” merriment!
