The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Ghouls and goblins mob out the streets
Many gather for costume contest before parade
One could be excused for thinking they’d stumbled into a different dimension Oct. 29 in downtown Amherst.
The streets were packed with pint-sized ghouls, goblins, princesses and clowns (both of the playful and horrifying variety) for the Amherst Halloween Parade.
Before the parade began, the costumed crowd piled into a parking lot at the corner of Park Avenue and Forest Street, where they were placed into four separate age groups and a fourth group for group costumes.
Representatives of the Amherst Fire Department and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Women’s Auxiliary then judged the costumes based on creativeness and uniqueness.
According to Lt. John Wallace of Amherst fire, the event has been going on for about 30 years and ten winners from each group receive a four-pack of movie tickets from the Amherst Cinema, 260 Church Street.
Wallace estimated more than
200 people took part in the contest.
“It’s a good family activity to have for the community,” he said.
Wallace wanted to thank Kiedrowski’s Simply Delicious Bakery, 2267 Cooper Foster Park Road; Grobe’s Fruit Farm, 43875 Telegraph Road in Elyria; and the Amherst Cinema; for helping the group with donuts, apple cider and movie
tickets respectfully.
After the costumes were judged, the incognito individuals took part in the parade, being led by the Amherst Marching Comets marching band who were themselves led by a trio of majorettes dressed as seeing impaired rodents.
It was the band that drew 35-year-old Melissa Moss to Park Avenue, where she, her husband and 7-year-old Calvin Schoewe sat on foldable lawn chairs and awaited the parade.
She said she was there to see Cheyenne Nutter, 16, a trumpet player with the
band who she said is amazing.
“She practices all the time,” she said.
Moss added that she enjoys the marching band who on Oct. 28 brought home a superior rating from the State Championship in Columbus.