Trick or Treat on Church Street?
Black Mountain neighborhood prepares for return of Halloween tradition
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
October 25, 2021
The quiet neighborhood around Church Street in Black Mountain is preparing for the return of a Halloween tradition this Sunday. Residents of the area, a popular destination for trick-or-treaters, are anticipating a busy evening after a 2020 hiatus. Photo by Fred McCormick
Each year, the evening of Oct. 31 is like no other on the normally quiet neighborhood of Laurel Circle Drive and Church, Connally and North Dougherty Streets. As many as 2,000 trick-or-treaters fill the streets, going door-to-door in costumes and filling their bags with candy.
The tradition was on hiatus in 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced most of the neighborhood to forego the gathering, but as Halloween approaches, the community is preparing for its Sunday night return.
Decorations adorn several of the homes and yards along Church Street, the epicenter of the annual fall custom, which has grown steadily and organically over the past two decades. While residents of the neighborhood remain unsure about how many trick-or-treaters to expect this year, many are preparing for a busy night.
“We’ve bought all of our candy,” said Jack Taylor, whose pirate ship-themed yard is a popular stop for revelers. His family gave out 2,000 individual pieces of candy in 2019, when he estimated around 3,000 people came through the neighborhood. “Now it’s just a matter of whoever shows up, showing up.”
At the corner of Connally and North Dougherty Streets, the owners of the Red Rocker Inn, another popular destination for trick-or-treaters, are uncertain about the number of people who will pass through the neighborhood this year.
“Last year, around five or six houses here passed out candy, but there were far fewer trick-or-treaters,” said Doug Bowman, who owns and operates the historical Victorian bed and breakfast with wife, Jenny. “We gave out around 200 pieces of candy last year, but this year, we’re buying enough for 1,500 people.”
The Halloween event is not coordinated by a group or individual, but residents of the neighborhood have accommodated a growing number of trick-or-treaters through the years. Participating households, as in past years, plan to pass out candy on Sunday, Oct. 31, according to Taylor.
Families typically arrive in the area around dusk, crossing Montreat Road to Laurel Circle Drive, walking to homes along Church, Connally and North Dougherty Streets. The Black Mountain Police Department is prepared to provide traffic control for people crossing Montreat Road, in front of the north parking lot at First Baptist Church of Black Mountain. The Town will close the impacted streets to accommodate the crowd, and the fire department will greet participants on the southern end of Church Street.
Other upcoming fall festivities include multiple Trunk or Treat events hosted by local churches, Saturday, Oct. 30. First Baptist Church of Black Mountain will welcome trick-or-treaters to its south parking lot, at 130 Montreat Road, from 3 - 4:30 p.m., while Mountain View Church, located at 2221 North Fork Right Fork Road, will host a similar event from 3 - 5 p.m. Black Mountain Presbyterian Church will also host its Trunk or Treat from 3 - 5 p.m.
The Black Mountain Recreation Department will host PumpkinPOST at the Dr. John Wilson Community Garden, from 2 - 4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 6. The event will allow participants to properly dispose of pumpkins for composting use.