Halloween Report 2023

It was strong night with lots of creative costumes, including some creative ensemble costumes. Dinosaurs with the top costume and a three-way tie for second place between witches, Spidermen and dragons. Despite all the hype, not a single Barbie or Ken! Numbers were very close to last year and just above average for the number of costumes on the street over 27 years.

27th Annual Report: Halloween at Duncan Street, Halifax, 2023

 TOTAL: 139

 Past Totals- 2022: 145; 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

 27-year average: 135

• First Caller:  5:55 p.m.
• Peak: 7:00-7:30 pm
• Last Caller:  9 pm
• Clear, dry night - but cold, 2 C

Anime character, misc            2

Anna Karenina (with tiny train)           1

Anna Karenina's lover (with tiny horse)             1

Arsonist (with gas can & cool creepy vibe)        1

Assassins        2

Bananas           2

Barbie (none!!)           0

Baseball player           1

Batman            1

Black Panther  1

Bunny 2

Bloody Bride  1

Cheerleader     1

Chuckey (horror character)     1

Clown, Classic            1

Cowboy          1

Devil   3

Dinosaurs, including some elaborate T-Rex!:       7

Diver (with octopus stuck to head!)  1

Dragons           6

Dying Person  1

Elsa (Frozen character)           1

Fairy    1

Fire Fighter:    1     

Garbage bag (transparent bag with trash inside, a great homemade costume)       1

Gatorades        2

Ghouls (misc.) 4

Glinda the Good Witch           1

Godzilla          1

Guy Fawkes/VforVendetta, Anonymous                               1

Guy with a gas mask              1

Grand Admiral Thrawn (Star Wars) homemade!                               1

Harry Potter, various houses 4

Harry Potter (the Weasleys)   2

Hunter (video game character) 1        

Jason (horror character)          2

Jester, evil       1

Link (from Zelda game)         1           

Mandalorian (Star Wars)        1

Mermaid         1

Microwave head masks (great homemade duo costumes)                        1

Migration of mushrooms (an ensemble performance)         4

Monkees (60s band)   2

Mummies (part of entire mummy family)            2

Nightmare Before Christmas character          1

Ninja Turtles    2

No discernible costume:         2

Purge (video game character) 1

Pirates!            4

Plaque Doctor 1

Police Officer:            1

Power Rangers            1

Pumpkin         1

Princess (classic)         5

Princess Poppy           1           

Rapper 1

Ronaldo (soccer player)          1

Rubik's Cube (homemade)     1

Robot, lovely homemade costume     1

Rook (chess piece, nice homemade costume)            1

Samurai           1

Santa Claus (really into role!) 1

Scooby-Doo ensemble crew    4

Serial Killer    1

Skunk (homemade, first Halloween!)                         1

Sith Lord (Star Wars)             1

Skeletons        2

Spider              1

Spidermen       6

Stranger Things Character (homemade)         1

Unicorns         1

Vampires:       5

Vacuum Cleaner (with candy backpack)        1

Warlock          1

Werewolf        1

Wednesday Adams     1

Witches (including a coven of 3!)       6

Zebra   1

Zombie Ballerina        1

Zombie Cheerleader    1

Zombie Dorothy (with  skeleton Toto)  1

Zombie scarecrow (with Dorothy)           1

 

Best Costumes:

1)  Four giant papier-mâché mushroom hats and capes with an ensemble performance.

2)  Two homemade microwave masks.

3)   A whole family with a nautical theme: mom & dad as Rose & Jack from Titanic with daughter as mermaid and son as diver with octopus.

4) A whole family of homemade mummy costumes.

5) A Zombie Dorothy with amazing make-up and a skeleton Toto.

6)  A homemade backpack vacuum cleaner with collection slots for “chocolate” and “candy”.

7)   A Santa Claus handing out candy canes and asking people what they want for Christmas.

 Trends:

1. Dinosaurs were the most popular costume with some very impressive T-Rex.
2. A three-way tie between witches, dragons and Spidermen.
3. No Barbies or Ken costumes!
4. Specialized Zombie variations popular.
5. A good night for pirates!
6. Harry Potter remains strong.
7. Some missing classics: no ghosts or grim reapers.
8. Aside from the big Spidermen turnout, very few superheroes.
9. Many parents in costume: 52 with several family theme costumes (mummies, nautical, clowns.)