Foot traffic was backed up in Trinity Park at the intersection of Monmouth Avenue and Watts Street. A princess and a “PAW Patrol” officer excitedly wove through the crowd, swarming the star of Halloween: an anthropomorphic Blue Heeler dog.
“Bluey!,” said a four-foot-tall Spiderman, pointing up at the blue, yellow-nosed pup.
As trick-or-treaters trotted down leaf-covered sidewalks, candy bags bouncing beside them, few characters attracted as much attention as Bluey, star of a TV show by the same name and a celebrity to those under five.
Also making the rounds on this warm, cloudless evening? Taylor Swift (“Red” era), Taylor Swift (“Lover” era), two green Crocs (one also wearing orange Crocs on his feet), a potato (baked), and a Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen named Henry costumed as a taco (hard shell, no guac).
Watts Street was lined with spiderwebs and gravestones. Even scarier: reminders of next week’s presidential election. A Harris-Walz sign hung from a chain around the neck of a skeleton. Two Bull City Votes volunteers wore half red, half blue T-shirts. Swing states — eek!
On the walkway leading up to a red-brick home, the Mandalorian tripped over his foot, strewing Skittles and Twix bars across the ground. Princess Leia ran to his aid, her foam side buns tilting as she scooped up the lost pieces. They’ve never seen “Star Wars,” according to their mom, but were determined to wear the costumes nonetheless.
The crowd peeled off from Watts and entered Monmouth Avenue to find a fish market at the Salmon Apartment building, tended by a shark. “One, two, three,” said the shark, before launching an inflatable trout into the air. The fish grazed the outstretched arms of Captain Hook before falling onto the stone path below. Hook lifted the fish off the ground while his parents cheered.
Pirates were popular. As were dinosaurs (one dilophosaurus, one brontosaurus, nine tyrannosauruses), food (one peanut butter and jelly sandwich, one slab of bacon, two chocolate chip cookies), and characters from online games (two from Minecraft, one Roblox, two Among Us).
The Among Us characters, wearing oversized inflatable suits, barely squeezed through the crowd outside of a yellow-paneled colonial. In the front yard, a duo of unitard-sporting girls performed an aerial silk routine to Taylor Swift’s “No Body, No Crime.” It was a solemn performance. A moose watched from the front row.
He was the only moose of the evening. Also one-of-a-kind: the Grinch, Marshmello, Jake from State Farm, Flo from Progressive Insurance, and Sophia Chitlik — who’s running for North Carolina State Senate — appearing as herself. The candidate handed out buttons and encouraged passersby to vote.
For the kids, the dread of Tuesday was irrelevant. There were doors to knock on, costumes to fidget with, and candy to collect.
Pausing at Minerva Avenue, the Grim Reaper furiously dug through his plastic orange pumpkin basket for a snack.
“Do you want me to hold your knife?,” asked the reaper’s dad.
Above: Talib Carpenter, a.k.a. the Mandalorian, surveys the Halloween scene in Trinity Park. Photo by Abigail Bromberger — The 9th Street Journal
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