Five Counties Children's Centre Hosting 'All-o-ween' For Inclusive Trick-or-Treating Experience

Five Counties Children’s Centre (FCCC) is inviting families to help make trick-or-treating more accessible and less scary for kids with its first-ever All-o-ween event.

Christian (left) and Gabriel (right) are among the FCCC families who are looking forward to All-o-ween. Photo courtesy of FCCC.

It is designed as an accessible, inclusive, and sensory-friendly trick-or-treating experience for FCCC kids and their families — both those currently receiving treatment at the Centre and those on a waitlist for services. Siblings of Five Counties kids are also welcome.

All-o-ween runs from 4 to 6 p.m. and will take place as follows:

• Oct. 28, at Five Counties (872 Dutton Road) in Peterborough

• Oct. 29, at Five Counties (800 Division St., Unit 2) in Cobourg

• Oct. 30 at Five Counties (9 Russell St. E.) in Lindsay.

Pre-registration is required to attend All-o-ween. Families can call the Centre at 1-888-779-9916, ext. 215 or register online to save a spot.

“Ask any child, and they will tell you Halloween ranks right up there as one of the best days of the year,” said Hayley Hodges, FCCC client and family experience lead. “Unfortunately, for some children who are disabled or neurodiverse, getting into the fall festivities can be a challenge.”

Each All-o-ween event in Cobourg, Peterborough and Lindsay includes an accessible and sensory-friendly trick-or-treating experience. Food, kids’ crafts and a storyteller sharing a fall festive tale will also be available. Kids can dress up in costume, wear orange and black, or come just as they are.

Providing an inclusive opportunity like All-o-ween benefits kids of all ages and abilities according to Hodges.

“In our everyday work at Five Counties, we support children and youth with physical, developmental and communications needs with the aim of enriching their independence and quality of life every day,” she said. “Halloween is one of those days or festivities that children of every ability should have the chance to experience and enjoy. And by organizing All-o-ween, we want to ensure everyone participates and no one gets left behind.”

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'Halloween in the Booro' Hits Downtown Peterborough Streets On Oct. 26

The streets of downtown Peterborough will come alive again with frightful fun and sweet surprises on Oct. 26 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. during the ‘Halloween in the Booro’ celebration.

Photo courtesy of the DBIA.

Almost 30 local businesses will participate in this family-friendly free event, which will offer downtown trick-or-treating, a scavenger hunt for kids and late-night shopping. 

According to a press release, the Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) organizes the event, which is designed to bring the community together and spotlight the local businesses that make downtown Peterborough a special and unique destination.

Participating shops across Charlotte, George, Hunter, Sherbrooke, and Water Streets will be decked out in Halloween spirit, handing out sweet treats and offering exclusive experiences. The trick-or-treating tour will culminate with a spooky and sweet surprise for those who complete the scavenger hunt.

“Our Halloween in the Booro event is not only great for families but also plays a vital role in supporting our local business community,” says Nour Mazloum, DBIA executive director. “It encourages residents to get out and explore our downtown, discover something new, and further strengthens the connection with our downtown businesses.”

“This event is always a highlight for us. It’s amazing to see families out enjoying and exploring our downtown. The energy it brings is contagious,” said Lisa Couture, Couture Candy Peterborough owner. “We’re so excited to welcome everyone back this year and to be part of such a fun and engaging community event. It’s a great way to connect with our customers and celebrate the spirit of downtown Peterborough.” 

Families can view a trick-or-treating map to plan their adventure for the event. On the night of the event, they’ll be greeted by haunted characters stationed throughout downtown, adding to the eerie atmosphere. With many businesses participating, there will be plenty of treats and surprises in store.

Participating Businesses:

• Charlotte Street: T-Elle Boutique by VSL, Rawscoe's Sport Collectibles, Cozy Home, Bobo Tea, The Toy Shop, Gather Home Goods, Lavender Moon

• George Street: Iceman Video Games, Couture Candy PTBO, Chumleighs, Boardwalk Board Game Lounge, Kollect This Inc., Green Street, Summer Soul Yoga & Wellness, Lift Lock Escape, John Roberts Clothiers

• Hunter Street: NAKA Japanese, Plant Goals, The Dirty Burger

• Sherbrooke Street: Sugar Me Right! Beauty Studio, Avant Garden Shop, The Vine

• Water Street: The Neighbourhood Vintage, Needles in the Hay, Statement House, Birdhouse Tattoo, Watson & Lou, Vanilla Room

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Photos: Seasons On Ravenwood Deploying Pirate Ghost Ship For One More Halloween After Receiving Multiple Complaints

The Seasons on Ravenwood’s famed ghost pirate ship is making one more appearance this Halloween for trick-or-treaters to explore the front-yard exhibit before being permanently retired due to anonymous complaints.

Jenn and Braden Glasbergen entertaining a first-time Halloweener during the ghost pirate ship's last year. All photos by David Tuan Bui.

The closure was announced by Jenn and Braden Glasbergen, who run Seasons on Ravenwood.

The couple put out four extravagant seasonal displays a year which include a dinosaur park, Easter, Halloween and Christmas display on their front lawn on 1723 Ravenwood Dr.

The decision to retire the pirate ship came after the Glasbergens received numerous threats and warnings of legal action for the displays allegedly being a safety hazard.

“We've decided that given some of the comments that we received, it's time to move on from the pirate ship,” explained Braden.

While the couple has received overwhelming support for the good the displays have done, the Glasbergens refuse to deal with the negativity affiliated with the display.

“We know that there's not a lot of teeth to it but it's just aggravation that nobody wants to deal so we're decided that the time is appropriate for us to hang it up for the pirate ship,” said Braden.

According to Glasbergens, they received messages claiming their decorations cause traffic hazards since they are a distraction and could result in vehicular accidents.

“We've done all we could with it as safe as possible when people come to visit it but a lot of comments we've been receiving is people on the way to the pirate ship, there are concerns around the traffic on Ravenwood and people might be getting hit,” said Braden.

Signs and flags — including a 15-footer visible from Parkhill Road — have been posted to help notify traffic to slow down. Posters are also plastered throughout the display to ensure safety when visitors are touring through the exhibit.

One of the many safety and rules signs posted throughout the property. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Initially, they decided not to put the pirate ship on display after complaints back in June. Overwhelming support persuaded the family to put up the pirate ship again in a Facebook post in late August. It also gave the community one last chance to take photos, videos and create memories with the ship before it gets permanently sidelined.

“There's been such an outpouring of support for the ship and the community loves it. The people who do love it, love it a lot,” said Braden. “We've talked to our town councillor Matt Crowley, who's been fielding a lot of calls in support of the pirate ship and he's brought those positive reinforcements forward and the neighbours have a great time with it.”

The public is invited to visit the pirate ship until it gets taken down during the first week of November. The family continues collecting food or monetary donations to support St. Vincent de Paul, which they have been doing since running Seasons on Ravenwood four years ago while the ship is on display.

After the ship has run its course, it will change ownership as the Glasbergens have sold it to an out-of-town buyer.

Jenn and Braden say they have loved and appreciated the community’s support over the years and will not forget the positivity given to them over the last four years.

“It's overwhelming, the positive support that we get,” said Braden. The fact that we've reached that many people, that we've touched that many people just because we wanted to put up some seasonal displays and have a little bit of fun. It's been a great outpouring that way.”

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‘Halloween in the BOOro’ Spooktacular Returns to Downtown Peterborough

Downtown Peterborough is going to get spooky this month as the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) hosts their second annual ‘Halloween in the BOOro’ event many family-friendly activities.

Julia Murray, DBIA intern; Hillary Flood, DBIA Vibrancy manager and Jmaes Wallwork, Lift Lock Escape co-owner in front of a ghostbusters Ectomobile. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

Shop windows will have eerie displays beginning Friday.

This year’s window contest will challenge shop owners to embrace the haunting ambience of a dark forest.

Locals are invited to join in the festive spirit leading up to Halloween by voting online for their favourite dark forest-themed window display from 25 different businesses.

Voters can tour the downtown using the online Halloween window map. The DBIA will be providing cash prizes for the top three Halloween windows as a reward for the most creative shop owners.

• First place: $300

• Runner up: $200

• Third place: $100

The main Halloween in the BOOro event is on Oct. 28 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with a variety of free family-friendly activities including trick or treating, late-night shopping and interactive Halloween scavenger hunt.

Shoppers are encouraged to dress up as their favourite character and go from door to door for a trick-or-treating extravaganza with over 40 locations scattered throughout the downtown core. To help families navigate their downtown Halloween adventures, a trick-or-treating map can be found online.

“You could tell everyone was having such a fun night out, both parents and kids,” said Holly Butler, Iceman Video Games manager. “It reminded me of when you see a trick-or-treating scene in a movie and there are kids just everywhere in costume.”

Trick-or-treaters will encounter a cast of characters ‘haunting’ the crosswalks. In keeping with the dark forest theme, families can expect to find witches, fairies and other woodland characters along George Street and a cast of water-based characters from mermaids to pirates haunting the intersections along Water Street according to a press release.

“Halloween in the BOOro is another example of the DBIA utilizing the magic of experiential entertainment to draw families back into our downtown core,” said Hillary Flood, DBIA Vibrancy manager. “My team has put so much effort into this. The level of interactive programming and Halloween curation is going to be top tier.”

Trick-or-treaters are also invited to join in a Halloween quest where locals can try their luck at completing a self-guided Halloween hunt anytime between 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 28. The Halloween hunt will feature 13 ghostly stops along the way and a small prize at the end for those who complete the scavenger experience (while supplies last). Participants can join the scavenger hunt with or without a mobile device.

For folks wanting a more interactive digital experience, the scavenger hunt can be played on your mobile device by downloading Goose Chase a mobile scavenger hunt app. Once in the app, search “BOOro Halloween Hunt” or search game code GJR376 to join in on the hunt. Scavengers can get a head start on the hunt by going to the Boro mural located at Sherbrooke and George Street to unlock the first clue.

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City of Peterborough Shares Environmentally-Friendly Ways of Pumpkin Disposal

The City of Peterborough has encouraged residents to dispose of their pumpkins in an environmentally friendly way and provided ways to do so.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

They can be placed at the curb with regular green waste until Nov. 25 and must weigh less than 22 kg. The City is asking that pumpkins not be placed in the garbage. The green waste is composted that diverts organic material from the landfill, creating enriched soil used for City plantings.

They can be put in backyard composters and chopped up to speed up decomposition.

Remove non-compostable material such as decorations, candles and leftover wax.

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Five Counties Shares Tips For A More Inclusive Halloween For All Kids

With Halloween around the corner, Peterborough-area residents are being asked to help break down barriers to trick-or-treating by following the Tricks to Make Halloween a Treat for Kids of All Ages and Abilities from Five Counties Children’s Centre (FCCC).

File photo.

They are urging the community to consider the following when taking part in Halloween festivities:

1. Set up a trick-or-treating station that is accessible and barrier-free for every child to enjoy. For homes with stairs, consider setting up an accessible treat station on the front lawn, driveway or garage. If all else fails, be creative and use your vehicle’s trunk to hand out candy.

2. Clear the path for trick-or-treaters. Remove potential obstacles and ensure the way to your treat station is wide open and well lit, especially for trick-or-treaters with mobility challenges. Consider parking on the street or in the garage to create even more space.

3. Decorate for Halloween with care. While scary and spooky decorations are appealing, they can be frightening for some trick-or-treaters. Bright flashing lights and loud or frightening noises can cause problems for children with sensory processing issues, autism or epilepsy. Be thoughtful and tactful in how you decorate so more children can take part in trick-or-treating.

4. Communication counts. Some children may say “trick or treat” differently. Some may use sign language, assistive technology, speak slowly or be non-verbal. Be respectful whatever the circumstances. A smile and wave can say so much!

5. Seeing blue? That’s OK. Blue pumpkins have been informally adopted by some families as a way to indicate children have unique ways of behaving and communicating. If you see a trick-or-treater carrying a blue pumpkin, be understanding and adjust your interactions as needed.

6. Use some “show and tell” to hand out treats. If you encounter children with visual or hearing problems, describe or hold up the treat before placing it in the bag so they are aware of what they are receiving.

7. A sign of the times. If you want to make an even stronger statement, put up a sign on your front lawn indicating you are an accessible/inclusive trick-or-treating stop.

Five Counties is echoing the message of Treat Accessibly, a grassroots movement formed in 2017. Treat Accessibly promotes inclusivity and accessibility around trick-or-treating.

According to the Treat Accessibly organization, more than 400,000 children in Canada identify as having one or more disabilities which can prevent them from enjoying trick-or-treating with other children.

“Ask any child, and he or she will tell you Halloween ranks right up there as one of the best days of the year. We’re encouraging people to consider children of all ages and abilities this Halloween,” says Scott Pepin, FCCC CEO. “Halloween is one of those days or festivities that children of every ability should have the chance to experience and enjoy.”

To learn more visit https://www.fivecounties.on.ca.

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The Lang Pioneer Village Presents the Historic All Hallows’ Eve Halloween Celebration

Learn about spooky traditions and paranormal investigations this Halloween season at The Lang Pioneer Village’s 19th-century All Hallows’ Eve celebration on Oct. 28 and 29 at Lang Pioneer Village Museum.

Photo courtesy of The Lang Pioneer Village Museum.

From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. each evening, discover the origins of trick-or-treating and rhymes for “soul-caking” at the Milburn House, or about coffins and body snatching at the Carpenter Shop.

Take a tractor and wagon ride and learn about paranormal investigations undertaken at Lang Pioneer Village Museum by the Paranormal Seekers, and see the ghost hunters’ specialized equipment that they use to make discoveries.

Museum goers can hear tales of the Michi Saagig people’s at Aabnaabin Camp, or visit the Print Shop for an 1800s fairytale. Witness a traditional 1890 Halloween party at the Town Hall, and learn about the history of candy corn at the General Store.

The Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building will have dinner covered with grilled cheese sandwiches, and the Keene Hotel will be serving hot chocolate and other treats to keep warm.

The all-ages event is $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors (60+), $7 for youths (ages two to 14) and free for children under two. Family admission is available for $40 and includes 2 adults and up to 4 youth tickets. Children are encouraged to come dressed in a costume and are reminded to collect their treat bag at the end of the evening for the ride home.

Visitors can purchase admission in advance using the museum’s online shop, but advance purchase is not required.

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Peterborough’s Downtown Business Improvement Area Launches ‘Halloween in the Booooro’ Event

Celebrate Halloween with the Downtown Business Improvement Area’s (DBIA) ‘Halloween in the Booooro’ event in downtown Peterborough on Oct. 29, announced on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of the Downtown Business Improvement Area.

The DBIA will have a lineup of free, interactive, spooky family-friendly activities and programming such as a scavenger hunt and trick-or-treating from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. An adult zombie escape game will take place after 8 p.m.

At the scavenger hunt, players can try their luck at saving the Simcoe Street Skeleton by completing the self-guided Halloween hunt, starting at Black Honey. The Halloween hunt will have 13 stops along the way and a small prize at the end for those who complete the scavenger experience. The Save the Simcoe Street Skeleton Halloween hunt will not require any registration or equipment to participate.

The zombie escape game at Peterborough Square will have multiple playtime options from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. to sign up and try to escape the zombie apocalypse. Participants must be 18 or older.

“It’s great to see our incredible business community come together to bring some Halloween fun and animation into our downtown,” said Terry Guiel, DBIA executive director. “Halloween is a beloved holiday and I think the community will really enjoy taking advantage of the free programming on offer as we celebrate our first ever Halloween in the Boooro event.”

Businesses will decorate their window displays with Halloween decorations leading up to the event and locals are encouraged to vote for their favourite downtown window display to determine which business embodied Halloween and the theme of fairy tales and folklore the most. Window displays will start on Oct. 21 and voting will be open online until Nov. 1.

Businesses that will be handing out candy and will remain open for late night shopping include Boardwalk Boardgame Café, Chumleighs, KC Costumes, Couture Candy, Iceman Games, The Toy Shop, Naked Chocolate, Dreams of Beans, Cheek PTBO, Tragically Dipped, Watson and Lou, Plant Goals, Statement House, Boba Tea, Wild Rock, Ritual Apothecary and Rawscoe’s Sport Collectables.

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Tips for a Safe Halloween From Peterborough Public Health

As Halloween approaches, Peterborough Public Health is sharing tips for how to plan fun and safe celebrations.

File Photo.

“Halloween is an exciting time of year for all ages, and it is important to plan COVID-19-safe Halloween activities while also remembering traditional Public Health ‘tricks’,” said Julie Ingram, Manager of Environmental Health. “Whether you’re trick-or-treating or attending a party, be sure to follow the social gathering limits and avoid crowds.”

PPH advises families start the night with a nutritious supper with protein, whole grains and vegetables and fruit. Kids should decide how much candy to consume, so they learn the importance of self-regulation. An adult should check the candy for tampering and allergens before eating treats

For those trick-or-treating, PPH recommends:

• Screen for COVID-19 symptoms before trick-or-treating. Stay home if you are experiencing symptoms or feel ill, even for minor symptoms like a runny nose.

• Wear a cloth face covering when knocking on a door or going inside. A costume mask should not be worn as a substitute or over a face covering.

• Make sure costumes are visible at night by wearing bright or reflective clothing.

• Avoid crowding in hallways or by doors.

• Wash or sanitize hands frequently. Make sure hands are clean before eating any treats.

• Throw away anything homemade or repackaged treats.

For those handing out treats, PPH recommends:

• Using tongs or other tools when handing out treats. Avoid leaving treats in a bowl for trick-or-treaters to grab.

• Wearing a face covering that fully covers your mouth, nose, and chin.

• If you hand out treats indoors, place a sign asking to knock instead of ringing the doorbell. If you do use a doorbell try to frequently disinfect it.

• Sanitize other frequently touched surfaces such as railings or doorknobs.

• Only offer commercially-packaged treats.

For anyone who is looking to attend a costume party or other similar gathering, PPH is reminding residents that private social gatherings must be limited to 25 people indoors and 100 people outdoors. Outdoor gatherings are encouraged over indoor gatherings.

Remember to wash hands frequently and avoid sharing food or drinks. Be aware of who your close contacts are, and maintain physical distancing. Hosts are encouraged to keep a list of guests in case contact tracing is needed.

Alternative options for those not comfortable going out include:

• Making spooky snacks at home with your household instead of going out.

• Decorating your house. Have a contest with your neighbours. Remember to physically distance if not part of the same household and wear a non-medical mask or face covering if you can’t keep two meters apart.

• Having an outdoor scavenger hunt with those in your household.

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Local Sisters Encourage Peterborough to Get Spooked and Follow their Interactive Halloween Map

Two sisters, Hayley and ‘Crash’ Gilpin, have created an online map pinning noteworthy Halloween displays in and around Peterborough.

Sisters Crash (Left) and Hayley Gilpin. Photo courtesy of Hayley Gilpin.

‘The Haunting of Peterborough map’ features over 200 houses and streets with Halloween displays.

The colour coded map highlights ‘spectacle houses’ with a purple ghost. ‘Spirit streets’, streets with three or more houses decorated, are highlighted with an orange ghost and black ghosts are houses decorated outside of the city but are worth the drive to see.

Hayley says when her sister Crash lived in Newcastle they did something similar, so when she moved to Peterborough this summer she wanted to recreate it.

“We drove around all month, with coffees in tow, and found all the most amazing ‘Spectacle Houses’ and ‘Spirit Streets’ that Peterborough has to offer,” said Hayley. “When we released the Halloween Map the Peterborough community was just so open and responsive, it made us feel really good to do something like this for the community.”

The pair says they will continue to add to the map until Halloween.

“We are just a couple of crazy mid age women who still love to celebrate the holidays. Especially during these times when the community needs it.”

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