The San Carlos Goblin Walk fosters a safer trick-or-treating opportunity for children.
This year’s Goblin Walk occurred on Oct. 27 on Laurel Street, where local businesses and organizations provided candy and a spooky environment for trick-or-treaters aged seven and under.
The annually occurring Goblin Walk aims to provide young children with a safe opportunity to connect with their local community. Those participating include businesses on Laurel Street, organizations, local firefighters, and police officers, as well as school clubs based in San Carlos.
“The Goblin Walk provides a safe trick-or-treating experience for very young kids, and, for some of them, this is their very first trick-or-treating experience,” said Lauren Schneider, a member of the San Carlos Parks and Recreation Committee.
The event began eleven years ago in 2012 with the support of the Parks and Recreation Committee, which actively supported the event.
This year, the committee dressed up as traffic cones that traveled up and down Laurel Street, periodically taking pictures with visitors and creating formations to “protect them.”
The committee was responsible for creating a safe environment for children, which included tasks such as closing Laurel Street down in the afternoon and contacting businesses to see if they would participate.
“We love that the Goblin Walk involves local businesses so that they can attract people who have never been there before,” Schneider said.
Businesses and their owners gave candy to the excited trick-or-treaters who visited, with some handing out candy physically and others putting it out for the kids to enjoy.
One organization that participated this year was the San Carlos Children’s Theater (SCCT), which had volunteering members come and give out candy.
“I think it’s nice to come out and do something nice for the community, and it also gets our name out there,” said Eve Dutton, the marketing manager for the SCCT. “Many younger families don’t know about the SCCT and the community events we do allow us to get involved with the community and give back.”
Another group seen participating in the Goblin Walk were local San Carlos firefighters, who stopped by before continuing their shift. They took pictures with parents and children who came up to their vehicle and answered any questions they had.
“Anytime we get to get out and engage in the community and talk to everyone is a good time,” said Chris Dibenedetto, a firefighter at the event.
The businesses, organizations, and essential workers who participated all worked together to create a safe and engaging environment for the kids who visited. In addition, the Goblin Walk was confined to closed-off Laurel Street, allowing parents to trick-or-treat with their kids without worrying about them getting hurt.
“Our family always loves to volunteer and attend these events,” said May Lee, a local parent. “Events like these give us the perfect opportunity to connect with our community.”
