Halloween Report 2022

 

26th Annual Report: Halloween at Duncan Street, Halifax, 2022

Halloween. It is an enduring annual ritual - and one that we are exploring at Pier 21 in an exhibit that opens this Saturday November 5 called "Kids Celebrate" that is all about the power of annual celebrations that draw from many traditions to bring people people together: Kids Celebrate

For Halloween at West End Halifax, we had a near perfect night. Good numbers and the triumph of some classics with witches being the most popular costume and ghosts and skeletons coming close to zombies. Aside from a Harry Potter comeback, the big franchise characters did not make a strong showing. 

TOTAL: 145

Past Totals- 2021:127: 2020: 151; 2019: 143; 2018: 138; 2017: 114; 2016: 81;2015: 101; 2014: 97; 2013: 80; 2012: 50! 2011: 80; 2010: 88; 2009: 99; 2008: 103; 2007: 125; 2006: 168; 2005: 187:  2004: 184; 2003: 187; 2002: 193; 2001: 152; 2000: 171; 1999-175; 1998-160; 1996-215

Anime Character        2

Athlete, misc.  1

Ballerina, Goth           1

Banana            1

Baseball player           1

Batman           1

Bear    1

Bee      2

Bunny 4

Bunny, Playboy          2

Butterfly         1

Buzz Lightyear           1

Cat      3

Cave man        1 

Cheap Thrills character          1

Clown, Classic            2

Clown, Dead   1

Daphne (Scooby-Doo)  1

Dead Mouse (DJ)        1

Devil   1

Dinosaur:        2

Doll, broken    1

Dragon                        1

Elsa (Frozen character)  3

Fast Food        1

Fire Fighter:    1

Flynn Rider (from Tangled): 1

Football Player:          1

Ghosts             4

Ghoul  1

Gladiator         1

Grim Reaper   1

 Harry Potter    1

Hermione        1

Hogworts Students     2

Headless Man 1

Hippo  1

Hockey Player 1

Hulk Hogan (wrestler)            1

Ironman          2

Kermit the Frog          1

Knight 3

Knight, Black (Monty Python) 1

Knight, Mexican         1

Lobster (baby) 1

Lumberjack     1

Marty McFly (Back to the Future) 1

Medieval, misc.          1

Mickey Mouse            1

Minecraft (game)        1

Mouse 2

No discernible costume:         2

 Peasant            1

Pirates:            3

Police Officer:            1

Power Rangers            2

Pumpkin/Jack o' Lanterns       3

Princess (classic)        6

Princess (Bloody)       2

Princess, Goth 1

Red Bull Gives You Wings    1

Robot, lovely homemade costume     1

Salt Shaker      1

Serial Killer with chain saw   1

Serial killer's victim   1

Scissors Killer 1

Shark   1

Skunk  2

Skeleton          6

Steampunk      2

Superman        1

Super Mario    2

 Tractor (charming homemade costume)        1

 Unicorn           3

 Vampires:       5

Video Game character, misc. 1

Velma (Scooby-Doo)  1

Volcano, covered in lava!       1

 Wolf, Big Bad 1

Witches:          12

Zombies:         6

Zombie with baby       1

• First Caller:  6:01 p.m.
• Peak: 7:05 pm
• Last Caller:  9:55 p.m. 

Numbers dropped abruptly at 7:30, then small surge at 7:50 of young teens and immigrant trick-or-treaters.
Clear dry night with nice half moon, mild chill in air

Best Costumes:

1. Decapitated Man holding his head, great repartee with sword wielding gladiator friend.
2. Volcano with red lava streams.
3. Red Bull Gives You Wings, devil with angel wings, gave out handmade red bull wing cards.
4. A very shy but beautiful butterfly.
5. A boisterous Velma and Daphne form Scooby Doo.
6. An impressive homemade knight costume with shield and helmet.

Trends:

1. Witches were the most popular (12)
2. Zombies, with variations, second most popular (7)
3. Strong return of classics: Skeletons, ghosts, vampires, pumpkin/jack-o-lanterns.
4. Big Harry Potter comeback
5. Very few superheroes, not a single Spiderman!
6. Fewer franchise characters, Elsa from Frozen being an exception.
7. Unusually strong showing of medieval characters, lot of knights!
8. Lot of bunnies.
9. Many parents in costume: 50 including the “Super” family, parents as Supermario costumes escorting their boy as Superman.