Last year, the Halloween version of the Chamber’s Downtown Night Out series was the biggest and best attended.

This year, the St. Pauls Chamber of Commerce hopes to top that record with an exciting, colorful and diverse end-of-October event.

Call it Halloween, call it Oktoberfest, or call it a Fall Festival. Whatever you call it, just call it big.

The October 31 event will fit of all three descriptions, with downtown trick-or-treating at participating stores and businesses, pumpkins, live music from a Bavarian Brass Band, activities such as costume contests for business employees, adults, children and pets, food (inside restaurants and outside on the sidewalks), a sampling of German beer, a car cruise-in, and more.

The Downtown Night Out will begin at 5 pm and run through 8 pm, giving everyone a chance to come downtown, check out the colorful happenings and still have time to visit the Shriners’ Haunted House (located on N. Fifth Street beside Maxway), check out some of the area church events that will be held at the churches, and maybe get in a little trick-or-treating as well.

“We would like for our Downtown Night Out event to be Halloween in St. Pauls this year, falling as it does on a Saturday night. We would also like to broaden the event by making it an Oktoberfest event, so that everyone regardless of their views on Halloween can participate and enjoy the fun and the fellowship,” said Duncan Mackie, President of the Chamber of Commerce.

“This event can be huge if we get the support of the various groups, churches, schools, and businesses. If we all work together, we can create a real community-wide, not-to-be-missed event in our downtown and in our community. The Chamber cordially invites, and encourages anyone interested in joining forces to give us a call and let us know what they’ve got planned.”

Organizational meeting

to be held tonight

Mr. Mackie also invites anyone interested in the Halloween/Oktoberfest event to a meeting that will be held this evening at 6:30 at the library. The meeting will plan this year’s event and get a head start on next year’s event as well.

So far, the Chamber has scheduled the Fayetteville Bavarian Brass Band to perform from 5 until 8, so bring out your best polka shoes and get ready to dance (everyone can do the popular chicken dance!). The Chamber also has a pony ride, has the Funnel Cake Guy, the homemade Ice Cream Guy, a free German beer tasting at TarPackers, several sidewalk vendors. There may also be some visiting costumed characters from the McClay Manor Haunted House and from the Shriners’ Haunted House if schedules from both attractions permit.

The Chamber encourages downtown stores and businesses to participate this year by distributing candy to kids. If you would like to include your store or business on the Halloween trail, please call the Chamber so your business can be identified. The Chamber asks that all participating businesses have lights on and someone outside the door with a bowl of candy so the trick-or-treaters can easily find you.

The Chamber also invites downtown store owners to get into the Fall spirit with pumpkins, hay bales, mums, and decorations, much like Broad Street Cafe and Betty Biggs Salon have already done.

“St. Pauls can create its own future as it looks back on its past,” Mr. Mackie said. “We can work together for a common good and we can prosper and that is what we are trying to do here. Give everyone a chance to buy into the future of St. Pauls, which begins with small steps and more involvement and more participation. Our downtown is our heartbeat and we must work together and work hard to keep it that way and to improve it. And there is certainly nothing wrong with having a whole lotta fun while doing so!”