It was chilly, with temperatures that dipped to just under 40 degrees after the sun set, but hundreds of Trick-or-Treaters of all ages had a great time strolling Elkhorn Avenue Friday night.
The Town closed off the street from traffic from the west end near the waterwheel to the intersection of Elkhorn Avenue and Riverside Drive.
Inflatable costumes were big this year, and many Trick-or-Treaters said the buffer of air inside the costume provided a layer of insulation against the chill.
Merchants greeted costumed revelers to pass out candy, and The Stanley Chocolate Factory opened its doors to the community for a first peek and a cup of hot chocolate made by Oompa-Loompas. More than 60 gallons of chocolate-laced milk were served.
A bit of Poe in the afternoon
Earlier in the day, local storyteller Kurtis Kelly captivated the attention of coffee lovers at Raven’s Roast with his portrayal of Edgar Allan Poe.
Bringing the poet’s haunting journey to life through first-person storytelling, the audience was transported into the depths of the poet’s real-life experiences and dark imagination that influenced his writing.
Kelly delivered readings of the classics like “The Bells,” “The Fall of the House of Usher,” and the iconic “The Raven” for a Halloween treat like no other.
The Estes Valley Voice pays a tribute to Poe’s “The Raven”
Once upon a midnight eerie, with the mountains dark and dreary,
And the wind through crag and canyon whispered legends lost in lore,
Hundreds wandered Elkhorn Avenue, children’s laughter softly growing,
Pumpkins grinning, shadows flowing past each candy-creaking door.
Then a chill, like alpine breath, came drifting cold along the floor—
Trick-or-treat? the children swore.
Through the town where elk were grazing, costumed locals promenaded
Tourists paused in wonder, gazing—phones aloft for picture taking.
Magistic peaks in moonlight shining, ancient firs in silver lining,
And the spirits, softly pining, in the hush we thought we saw.
Every whisper through the aspens seemed some phantom’s gentle draw—
“Hist’ry walks these streets,” they saw.
“Tell me,” someone cried in the darkened silence, “who began this candy science?
Whose hand lit this Halloween tradition of our Main Street stores?”
Then a hush—then boots a-creaking, like a soul the ages seeking,
And a voice came faintly speaking of the day some 40 years before:
“Moses Street,” the echo murmured from the mists of memories not forgotten—
“Trick-or-treat forevermore.”
Then the children, of all ages, to the Chocolate Factory thrilling,
Lined in costumes, bright and creepy, eager at Cullen Wonka’s door;
Steam of cocoa sweet and steamy, 60 liquid gallons poured—
And the servers, grinning, beaming, Oompa-Loompas, none could ignore.
Tiny hats and greyish curls, they ladled warmth with expectation—
“Hot chocolate?” Yes, yes, evermore.
This was the first Halloween I’ve spent in Estes Park and it was a blast. I would have loved a celebration like that as a kid! Never let it go.