BTBIA to host Frightfully Fun family event again this year!

October 9, 2013 · 0 Comments

Haunted houses, treats, costumes, crafts and games are just some of the fun activities planned at businesses across Beeton and Tottenham for the fifth annual Frightfully Fun Family Event!

Stores all over Beeton and Tottenham will be joining the Halloween fun again this year in support of the event organized by the Beeton Tottenham Business Improvement Association (BTBIA).

The event has continued to grow over the years, generating more and more participation from businesses in the area every season. The BTBIA contacts businesses as the holiday approaches to find out if they would like to participate and how. Each business owner can then decide what kind of activity they would like to host. Some choose to pass out treats or offer colouring contests, but others jump on the chance to get creative says Susan Iacoucci, coordinator of the BTBIA.

The event helps to promote the BTBIA’s mandate to Shop Local. The BTBIA sets the event in motion and provides advertising, directing people to those participating businesses with a Halloween Passport for kids.

These passports will be distributed through the schools and provide a list of the events each business is hosting. Kids can collect a stamp on their passport for each business visited and enter the passport in a draw at the end of the day for prizes.

“We’re helping organize the event,” Iacoucci says. “But ultimately it’s up to the businesses to put it on and decide how involved they’d like to be.”

Ultimately, each business benefits from the extra foot traffic received through the day. Even if they don’t make sales from every person who walks through the door, those people may become customers in the future after seeing the products in stores that they might not have known were sold there. The event is set up to be used as a marketing tool for those store owners. Some stores will offer treats, but others are more enthusiastic about the opportunity to attract new customers.

In Tottenham this year, Village Pizza will have a cupcake decorating station, Victorian Charm Antiques will be hosting a haunted barn, Seasons Floral Studio will have it’s own haunted house and Tottenham Feed Service will have a ghostly toss activity.

In Beeton, The Whistle Stop will have a cookie decorating station and Muddy Water’s is having a colouring contest. Both branches of the New Tecumseth Public Library will offer a take-home craft activity.

Pre-carved pumpkins can be dropped off at the BTBIA station at the four corners for the pumpkin contest. Entries are recommended for drop-off by noon for the most exposure to votes. Pumpkins will be judged by the public and winners chosen for three categories: funny, stenciled, and scary.

The Frightfully Fun Family Event runs Saturday, October 26 from noon until 4 p.m. At 4 p.m. kids can take part in the costume parade at the four corners, getting a chance to show off their costumes before the big day!

Photo by Wendy Soloduik
Haunting good times at the Beeton Library – The D.A. Jones Branch of the New Tecumseth Public Library in Beeton was overrun by goblins, monsters and superheroes last Friday as children of all ages gathered in anticipation of the upcoming ‘Frightfully Fun’ family event, hosted by the Beeton–Tottenham Business Improvement Association (BTBIA). This 5th Annual spooktacular takes place this Saturday, October 26th from noon until 4 p.m. in the downtown cores of Beeton and Tottenham. Children of all ages are invited to get a second wear out of their Hallowe’en costumes and join local merchants for an afternoon packed with so much fun, it’s scary. Fun stations will be set up at local retailers and children can ‘Trick-orTreat’ their way across town, earning stamps for their Hallowe’en passport for a chance to win boo-tiful prizes. Bring your pre-carved pumpkin and enter in one of three categories: scary, funny or stencil. Winners will be decided by public vote. For more information, call the BTBIA office at 905 936-3424 or send an e-mail to info@btbia.ca. Pictcured: Brodie, 13, Braedon, 12, Logan, 9, Tyler, 8, Dylan, 7 and Lucas, 5 are prepared for a hauntingly good time at the Frightfully Fun event this weekend. See more pictures on PAGE 9.