Mena’s 30th Annual Downtown Daylight Trick or Treat

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This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Downtown Mena Merchants Daylight Trick-or-Treat. In 1986 Steve Blair, owner of Cash Saver, located on South Mena Street, where Sear’s Hometown Store is currently. Blair started the event with help from Wyonna Abbot, owner of Coast to Coast, and other south side Mena merchants.

Recognizing the then concern for children’s safety while tricking and treating, they created the concept of the Downtown Mena Merchants Daylight Trick-or-Treat. Merchants wanted to provide a safe environment for the children to trick-or-treat and give the parents a peace of mind that they knew the candy was safe.

In it’s early years, merchants provided free candy to 200-300 children and they had a children’s costume contest. As the event grew, the north side merchants came on board, creating the event as we know it today, with over 1,000 children participating.

This year the Downtown Mena Merchants Daylight Trick-or-Treat will be held on Halloween, Monday, October 31st, from 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. on Mena Street and Sherwood Avenue.

In celebration of this 30th year anniversary, several merchants and the Mena/Polk County Chamber of Commerce will host an Anniversary Celebration Children’s Costume Contest. The costume contest will be held at the historic depot starting at 5:30 p.m. “After strolling the trick-or-treat route bring the ghosts and goblins over to the depot, come out and join the fun and celebrate the 30th annual Downtown Mena Merchants Daylight Trick-or-Treat, another great community tradition, said Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Paula Bradley.

About Author

Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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