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Halloween on Queen bigger and creepier than ever

Hundreds of Beach residents — the most ever — took part in Halloween on Queen, presented by the Beach Village BIA on Saturday.

They got their faces painted, entered contests, judged pumpkins, watched puppeteers, listened to music, and had faces painted in scary designs — all part of the Creepy Carnival at Kew Gardens and Ivan Forrest Gardens and other fun activities hosted by Queen Street merchants.

And, of course, participants donned costumes to march (saunter really) in the costume parade along Queen Street East. This year prizes were awarded for the best kid costume in the parade, best adult costume, best group and also best pet costume, since a number of animals also dress up for the event.

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Halloween on Queen is “our biggest one-day blowout event,” BIA executive director Anna Sebert said, calling it a thank you from local businesses  to the community for a great summer.

Businesses carve pumpkins for the pumpkin-carving contest, donate prizes and provide programming space for the event, Sebert said.

Halloween on Queen concert
CELEBRATE: A strange collection of spacemen, aliens, superheroes, fairy princesses and large fuzzy animals enjoy a musical performance.

Among the contributions by busineses: Ten Spot created spooky nail, Cafe Naturalis hosted crafts and painting, Freshii held a colouring contest and Valu-Mart provided the pumpkins for carving. Mastermind Toys provided the Great Googly Moogly to lead the costume parade.

Sebert estimated more than 600 people participated this year, the largest yet for the event in its sixth year now.

“We see more people every year,” she said.

Halloween on Queen after
EVEN A KANGAROO has to check its text messages, as a family takes a break from Halloween on Queen.