It’s time to break out the Fall Scented Candles and dig the Pumpkin Shaped Trick-Or-Treat buckets out of the closet. With a strong wind on Sept 22nd Autumn officially arrived in South Carolina and with the chill in the air “Spooky Season” has decended among us.
If yard decorations and number of events are any indication it would seem that Halloween is the TOP Holiday for citizens of Blacksburg. In any given year you will find more carved pumpkins and makeshift yard tombstones in October than you will Christmas wreaths or holly on front porches come December.
Like any holiday Halloween has turned into a full fledged cultural experience that the Market makes provision for. In Blacksburg alone we are home to the regionally famous and top-rated “Fear Farm” as well as Booger Jim’s Hallow haunted attractions. In addition to these established annual experiences any number of Fire Departments on this side of the Broad River have been known to host a Haunted Trail with last year seeing even the Town of Blacksburg transforming the Town Civic Center into a full fledged Haunted House with Dungeons and Creepy Carnival Clowns.
Whether you’re decking your yard with Faux Spanish Moss and Bubbling Cauldrons or simply looking to cash-in on the free candy from Trick or Treating there’s all kinds of outlets for participation in Halloween.
Last year Community Officer Shahna Blanton of the Blacksburg Police Department started the first-ever Small Business Selfie Trail and Trick-or-Treat event here in Blacksburg. The event took off so much that Officer Blanton wasn’t even able to setup a Selfie-Station at the Police Department which was her original goal. In light of the energy with which people and businesses jumped on the idea she approached the Blacksburg Business Association this year and asked them to take over the planning of this event. After a quick vote in their business meeting the Second Annual Halloween Selfie Trail was set for Saturday, October 29th in Downtown Blacksburg.
All area businesses and organizations are encouraged to participate in this town-wide event. Simply designate a space in your place of business as your Selfie-Station. Folks will Trick-Or-Treat at your business and those participating in the Selfie Contest will take a photo of themselves to post online to Facebook/Instagram along with the tag: #BBAHST (Short for Blacksburg Business Association Halloween Selfie Trail). At the end of the event these tags will be used to enter names into a drawing for prizes. Posts must be publicly viewable and be tagged for BBA to find them for valid entry.
The Public is encouraged to browse area business and to tag the Business as well as the Contest Hashtag to help promote the #ShopLocal and #SupportLocal efforts of our small town economy. Your social media selfies can be great content for your family and friends while also giving a boost to local shops and service providers.
Have you walked Downtown lately? You may be surprised at what new business or shop has popped up since you last experienced the city apart from the quick-travel of automobiles. This walking trail through town is a great chance to see the town up close. Check back here and at the BBA facebook page closer to the event for a full list of all participating businesses/organizations.
Mark your calendars, pick out your Halloween Costume and Makeup, and get ready for a great afternoon in Downtown Blacksburg!
