From the way the rain was pelting the streets on Friday morning, it looked like there were going to be a bunch of soaking wet little Elsas and superheroes seeking treats in the Proctor District on Halloween. But by early afternoon, Tacoma kids got a weather treat – rain-free skies, even sunny at times.
Proctor Treats is a decades-old tradition – more than nine decades old. The first Proctor Treats is recorded to have taken place in 1929. There certainly were far fewer costumed babies, children and adults moving from business to business collecting treats back then. This year, like the past couple of years, estimates are in the thousands. It’s become a gigantic costume party covering several closed-to-traffic blocks. The event is set from 4 to 6 p.m. before darkness falls, with the intent to provide a safe place for trick-or-treaters. It is also an excellent place to see and be seen, to marvel at others’ creativity and display your own.
Accurate numbers are hard to come by. Bill Evans of the Northwest Shop guesses they gave out 3,000 pieces of candy. Christine Murphy, of Blue, who was a hit in her self-created Elsa costume, says her boss bought six giant Costco bags. Number five was being opened by 5 p.m.
As for costumes, the Elsas (from Frozen, of course) were in the double digits. Superheroes were in abundance, as were Minions. There were a number of Waldos (mostly teen and older). Small Dorothys, from Wizard of Oz, seemed to be a trend this year. And there were quite a few family-themed costumes this year.
Here’s a photo gallery:
The post Creativity and Elsas
rule Proctor Treats appeared first on North End Journal.