I stood beside a small purple monster, soft with fluff and marked in green spots, its head crowned with the horns every proper wee beasty should wear. I smiled at him and confessed my great fear. He grinned at this pronouncement and puffed up his chest in pride. We then crossed the street through a stream of garden gnomes, Blueys, superheroes, and princesses.
The sun fell in slanted lines across downtown Clayton, where the Rock House stood behind a park full of noise and color. I carried a box under my arm, a volunteer with the Clayton Merchants and Business Association (CMBA) who organized the Halloween Parade and Trick-or-Treating event. Sweat pricked my neck as I watched the crowd swell, two hundred children at least, maybe more: clinging to parents’ hands, chasing small dogs, pausing to preen before cameras, I hoped inwardly that I had ordered enough flasks to man my station.
The square burst with color, flowers, neon nylon, and haybales. Pumpkin-patterned tablecloths fluttered in the breeze, and the stone fountain stood framed in autumn blooms. For a moment, I forgot my task and simply stood there, one more grown-up caught in the wonder, one more believer among the beasts.
Then I remembered I had ten minutes to set up and hurried to my table and began unloading flasks, herbs, dried flowers, and fruit-scented oils for children to mix into their own potions. From the bottom of the box, I pulled the beads and string I had packed in a last-minute burst of inspiration and set up a friendship bracelet station, too. I topped it all off with a witch’s hat, which I pinned to my braid to withstand the wind.
Next to me, Reeves Home Furnishings hosted a pumpkin-painting station, using pumpkins donated by Boles Market. Around us, the square buzzed with laughter and the shuffle of costumes against concrete.
The event took shape through the combined efforts of Rotary Impact Club, Kiwanis, 1 Million Cups, and The Cute North Georgian Magazine, working alongside Mayor Roy Quilliams, City Council candidate for Post 1, Channing Watts, and Colt Woodall, candidate for Post 2. “So many great costumes,” Watts said as the three served as judges for the contest. “An impossible task,” Woodall added, smiling as children paraded past in wings, capes, and glitter.
From my place behind the ‘potion and craft’ table, I watched the swirl of the afternoon: children tossing rings onto inflatable witches’ hats, crowding the judges to ensure they got a close enough look, darting door to door to trick-or-treat with local merchants, and finally marching down the sidewalk in the children’s parade.
Halfway through the event, Vernon Jones arrived, energetically mounting the steps of the Rock House to tour one of the town’s landmarks. He greeted volunteers and residents with a firm handshake and a warm smile. When I asked what brought him to the Blue Ridge, he said, “All roads lead to Clayton.” Then, spoke about the need to help small business owners get the support they require from the government to serve their communities well.
When I asked how long the Halloween celebration had been part of Clayton’s life, Sonya Shook of Reeves Department Store didn’t hesitate. “About thirty years,” she said. “It’s a tradition.”
By the end of the afternoon, the square felt like the beating heart of a small town made large by love. The merchants, clubs, and city leaders had folded themselves into one seamless rhythm and purpose. Children dashed through the park and sidewalks, faces sticky with chocolate, while parents lingered in the golden light of late October. No one sold anything. There were no vendors, no entry tickets, no profit to be made, only the reward of helping children delight in a sun-strewn day with their families.
For those who attended, you can relive the day through photos and videos on The Cute North Georgian Magazine’s Instagram and Facebook, and on Visit Clayton’s Instagram and Facebook page.
