It was a busy Halloween Hunt at Aldergrove Village Shopping Centre on Saturday, Oct 29.
The return to a fully in-person version of the annual event featured a scavenger hunt, crafts, goodie bags, facepainting, popcorn, and games, as well as a bouncy castle.
Event manager Deborah Jorgenson estimated it drew about 400 participants to the centre, located on Fraser Highway at 264th Street.
“It’s totally a record,” according to Jorgenson, who said prior to the pandemic, the annual event was averaging around 300.
“This is our first Halloween Hunt, really, post-COVID,” Jorgenson observed. “It’s really kind of a staple in the community. People like to come and be together and be in this fantastic space.”
Despite ominous warnings by weather forecasters of an impending atmospheric river, it was near-perfect weather, clear and calm.
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First held in 2014, the annual pre-Halloween bash at the retail complex is hosted by management and tenants of the Aldergrove Village Shopping Centre with the help of Finer Details Event Planning.
READ ALSO: Aldergrove Village Shopping Centre invites families for COVID-safe Halloween Hunt
During the pandemic, a modified COVID safe edition of the Halloween Hunt offered families a “party in a box,” which came with seasonal decor, goodies, and activities for all ages. There were masks, and physical distancing including physical barriers and line up markers — and a virtual costume contest with entries submitted online.
But, Jorgenson noted, thankfully things are returning to normal.
More photos from the day can be seen online.
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