Madison Park Number One for trick-or-treating

Local news reports last week played up the fact that Zillow's annual list of best cities for tricking or treating showed Seattle in the Number Four spot (after San Francisco, Boston, and Honolulu).  Within Seattle, however, it's Madison Park that gets the nod from Zillow as the best neighborhood for trick-or-treaters, followed by Queen Anne, Ballard and Laurelhurst.  Zillow didn't provide any details on its methodology, but in past years it's been speculated that Madison Park ranks high because of the larger average size of the treats handed out on Halloween (full-size candy bars in some cases!).  Whatever the reason, the neighborhood certainly enjoys a good Halloween reputation, with a lot of out-of-area trick-or-treaters making the rounds here each year.

This is just a reminder that Halloween gets off to an early start on Monday afternoon, with many area businesses (some of them members of the Madison Park Business Association, and some not) handing out treats to deserving kids from 3 until 5 pm.  The event is sponsored by the MPBA and the Madison Park Cooperative Preschool.

[Graphic courtesy of Photobucket.]

Halloween is the day to trick or treat

For some reason unknown to us, the Madison Park Business Association occasionally schedules its annual Halloween Trick or Treat event on a day other than Halloween.  But this year, the big to-do is actually going to happen on Halloween Day. That means that neighborhood kids can dress up and present themselves for tricking or treating purposes at area businesses on Monday, October 31, from 3 until 5 pm.

Again this year, the Madison Park Cooperative Preschool will be taking pictures of the little tricksters at McNae Triangle Park (in front of Bing's) throughout the event.

[Upper graphic by artist Linda Apple.  Photo by Melynda Warner.]

Halloween in the Park begins early

It’s apparent from the emails we’ve been receiving and the Google searches that have been landing on our blog recently, that parents want to know what’s up with Halloween in Madison Park this year. The spooky day occurs on Sunday, October 31, but here’s everyone’s big question: when, exactly, are our friendly neighborhood shops going to be forking over treats to all our little tricksters?

To get the answer, I went straight to the top, asking Madison Park Business Association President Terry Short for the lowdown. His answer is that the annual “Madison Park Halloween Party” will be held the day before Halloween, on Saturday, October 30, from 3 until 5 pm. Most Madison Park businesses will be participating, and—as usual—pictures will be taken of trick-or-treaters at the Triangle Park in front of Bing’s (4200 E. Madison St.) as part of the Halloween festivities. The party, as always, is sponsored by the MPBA, being joined this year by the Madison Park Cooperative Preschool as co-sponsor.

Earlier in the week, on Wednesday, October 27, Madison Park’s own IndieFlix will be hosting a “Spooky Movies in Madison Park” event at Starbucks (4000 E. Madison St.). Everybody (or, rather, those aged ten and up) is invited to share in complimentary wine (for those of age), light hors d’oeurves, and other goodies while watching four short-and-spooky movies. There will then be a vote for Best Picture. The fun begins at 6 pm, and the movies will run from 7 until 7:30.

Finally, Cafe Flora in Madison Valley (2901 E. Madison St.) is sponsoring a free Pumpkin Decorating Party (no carving), with pumpkins provided by Tonnemaker Farm and art supplies provided by Thrive Art School. There will also be free cinnamon bites from Cafe Flora and free cider provided by Rockridge Orchards & Cidery. Kids are encouraged to come in costume, Saturday, October 30, from 9 am until 2 pm.

[Halloween graphic by Eric Pigors.]

Trick or drink?

My neighbors, Adele and Dan Clancy, took what (at least from my perspective) was an innvoative approach to Halloween last Saturday, dressing up and roaming about the neighborhood with empty wine glasses in hand. I'm not sure how many unsuspecting homeowners they accosted with their apparently novel opening line: "Trick or Drink!", but I understand that the tactic (or was it a strategy?) worked very well at multiple locations, including at the Madison Park residence pictured above.

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They were, unfortunately, SOL* at our house (no wine on the premises), but we'll be better prepared in the future. Next year we'll report on whether these two fun-loving characters have "double-handedly" been able to establish a new Holloween fashion for Madison Park. A trend has to start somewhere!

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*For this audience I can translate the acronym as 'Sorry, Out of Luck."

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[Photo by David Hutchins, aka Jimmy Olsen.]

Halloween in the Park

Madison Park may not have made Zillow.com's list of Top Seattle Trick or Treat Neighborhoods, but kids here still manage to do quite well for themselves every Halloween. They can get an early start on the action by trick or treating Madison Park businesses on Saturday, October 31, from 3 until 5 pm. Pictures of trick or treaters will be taken at Triangle Park, in front of Bing's. The Madison Park Business Association is the sponsor of this annual event.

The Washington Park Arboretum Association, meanwhile, is sponsoring a "Halloween in the Dark Spooktacular" on Saturday from 4 until 8 pm for families with children aged 6 to 12. Pre-registration is requited ($6 per person). It's a BYOF (Bring Your Own Flashlight) kind of event, which starts at the Graham Visitors Center in the Arboretum. For more information, contact Jean Robins at jrobins@u.washington.edu or 206-685-8033.

The reason Zillow gives, by the way, for deciding that Madison Park and Broadmoor are not as good as Wallingford or Magnolia to trick or treat in is that "while homeowners in these prestigious 'hoods may pass out a king-sized Snickers here and there, the homes are more spread out with long driveways and gates, thus not very conducive to kids travelling by foot." Since Zillow's ratings were picked up by KING-TV and several websites perhaps we should expect fewer out-of-neighborhood trick or treaters this Halloween. More treats for the home grown.

[Graphics courtesy of Photobucket and Madison Park Business Association, respectively.]