Halloween on Square draws crowd of 10K

Published 12:01 am Friday, November 2, 2012

As soon as the sun set Wednesday, the people came out, filling the Court Square.

It was shoulder-to-shoulder traffic at Wednesday’s Halloween on the Square event in Andalusia.

Duke Smith with the city’s department of leisure services estimated the crowd at 10,000.

“It was a great night,” Smith said. “There were a lot of folks there. I stood in the Square, in the center, and looked down toward CCB Community Bank, and the road was covered with people. Everything went fine. Crews spent (Thursday) morning cleaning up, and we’re back to normal.”

Local merchants handed out candy left and right as area residents made their annual trek around the Court Square. Some 28 businesses participated, pulling out all the stops in decorating for the night.

The first place award for the best booth space went to South Alabama Law’s tribute to “Alice in Wonderland,” complete with a Red Queen sitting on her throne and the Mad Hatter. Second place went to the Andalusia Police Department for their “Happy Haunting,” featuring Dispatcher Susie Fannin and her creepy channeling of a wicked witch who enjoyed a good leg bone now and then.

Entertainment for the night was Keith Williams and Second Nature, who at one point,, was joined by a dancing Freddy Krueger.

“Our businesses went all out,” Smith said. “I was glad the weather hung in there, too. It was nice and cool, but not too cold. All in all, just right.”