WEST LIBERTY, Iowa–Around Halloween, many children cannot wait to wear their costumes or get some of their favorite candies. This October, for the second year in a row, the West Liberty Downtown District will host its Witch Walk Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to noon. An additional opportunity for little ones to trick or treat and for families to explore downtown West Liberty, this year’s event promises to extend the fun of Halloween a little further.
In 2019, Lisa Browning remembers a fellow shop owner in the West Liberty Downtown District heard about doing a witch walk and wanted to put one one with local business owners. “We tried it last year, and it was wildly successful, so we though we should do it again,” Browning explained.
This October, upwards of six shops and restaurants will participate in the West Liberty Witch Walk. Each participating business will have a witch hat poster on their doors, welcoming trick or treaters and their families to come in. Inside, children can get a piece of candy, allowing them to start their Trick or Treating even before Halloween arrives. Some of the participating stores will have special give aways, promotions or treats for adults as well. For example, Shop 121 will have some candy boxes for grownups along with the children’s Halloween candy. As an added bonus, some of the boxes will have a Shop 121 gift card in them as well. Savor by Chief D will also have some special Halloween inspired baked goods on its menu as well. Children may visit as many of the participating businesses as they would like to and may go from store to store in any order.
A completely free events, participants need only come downtown the morning of the walk and spend as much time at each stop as they would like to. Parents do not need to purchase anything at any of the businesses to participate, as the event focuses simply on bringing the community together for some spooky entertainment. “It was just a fun morning, and there was no pressure to buy anything,” said Browning of the first West Liberty Witch Walk last October.
An easy way for families to extend the fun of Halloween over several days, Browning looks forward to seeing many little ones and their parents parading through downtown during the West Liberty Witch Walk. “I just hope that it’s a fun time for the moms and the kids to dress up and come downtown,” she said. Last year, approximately 40 children participated in the West Liberty Witch Walk, and Browning would love to see that number grow this year as word gets out about the event.
Along with enjoying the holiday, Browning also sees the West Liberty Witch Walk as an opportunity to bring people who have not visited downtown West Liberty recently there to see all of the improvements and economic growth that have taken place in the area over the past several years. “Downtown has been growing and revitalizing and we want people to come and see it,” she emphasized. “We just want to get people out and to remember businesses and to come back and buy anything if they need it.”
