With Halloween this coming Monday, kids from the Nicola Valley will be out and about, donning various costumes, to collect treats. The usual door-to-door is no doubt a fun way to get a good amount of candy, but in addition to this, the Citxw Nlaka’pamux Assembly (CNA), in collaboration with other organizations, invites kids and their families to the Merritt Civic Centre for some indoor trick-or-treating and other Halloween fun.
The Halloween Extravaganza is a collaborative event that will be held at the Civic Centre on Monday, October 31, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“It’s a collaboration event with multiple organizations in the Valley,” said CNA Communications Lead Robin Peterson. “It’s a family friendly event and everybody is welcome to attend. I think the main goal of this is to provide a safe place for families to come and gather for an event promoting fun on Halloween.”
CNA, Scw’exmx Community Health Services Society, Nlaka’pamux Health Services, Conayt Friendship Society, Lower Nicola Indian Band, and Scw’exmx Child and Family Services have all collaborated to run the event on Halloween.
“I think this is the first one (Halloween event) since the COVID-19 pandemic that everyone was able to collaborate on,” said Peterson. “Now that we’re able to gather together, we’re looking at different ways to work together and make events bigger and better, providing more prizes and opportunities for fun for community members.”
Halloween Extravaganza 2022. Photo/CNA
There are a number of activities available for the young ones to enjoy at the Extravaganza. There will be a kids dance party, face painting, child (0 – 12) and youth (13 and up) activity rooms featuring arts and crafts, movies, and a costume contest.
“We really encourage everyone to come dressed up,” she said. “We will have candy there so the kids can do some trick or treating right inside the building.”
Booths of the different organizations with various resources will be set up. CNA is calling on local organizations and businesses to also attend and support the event.
“If businesses want to come in and bring treats and prizes for the games were going to have, then they are more than welcome to,” said Peterson “There will be some staff members present for businesses to talk to for the booth and donations. Any donations are greatly appreciated.”
The Halloween Extravaganza will begin at 1 p.m. on October 31, with face painting happening from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., movie screenings from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and the costume contest beginning at 5 p.m.
