Halloween is one of the biggest nights in Whistler, on par with New Year's and the Crankworx slopestyle for sheer entertainment value, and by falling on a Sunday this year the festivities will last the entire weekend.
WORCA Halloween Toonie
A WORCA tradition is the annual Halloween Toonie Ride, an after-dark mountain bike ride where the route is marked with glowing pumpkins and costumes are encouraged.
This year's event, on Thursday, Oct. 28, will take place in the Riverside area, with registration at the East Main turnoff starting at 5 p.m. The ride starts at 6 p.m. It will be dark so good quality lights and headlamps are a must.
The event is sponsored by Whistler Brewing and Cracked Pepper, with the after-party at Whistler Brewing's headquarters in Function Junction.
You must be a member of WORCA to take part, but with over 1,500 members this year it shouldn't be a problem getting people out. There will be prizes for the best costumes.
Halloween Story Time
There's nothing like a good, scary story to get you into the Halloween spirit. On Friday, Oct. 29, the Whistler Public Library will be hosting a special Halloween-themed story time at noon in the children's section. Costumes are welcome!
WAG Halloween Bash
If you're looking for an excuse to dress up your dog, or another reason to support the local WAG animal shelter, drop by the WAG Creekside Halloween Bash on Saturday, Oct. 30. There will be a contest for best-dressed dog and family, bobbing for wieners, an obstacle course, barbecue, and a haunted house at Dusty's.
The prizes for the best-dressed include two tickets to a Vancouver Canucks game, while the runner-up will receive a two-night stay at either Evolution, Legends or First Tracks Lodge. There will also be a contest for best pumpkin. Proceeds from pumpkins purchased at the Creekside Market will go to WAG as well.
The fun goes from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Tapley's is Halloween
This year marks the 24th annual Tapley's Farm Halloween celebration, a night of trick-or-treating for young kids from all over Whistler followed by an amazing fireworks display.
Families go all out decorating their homes, and literally every kid in Whistler from age two to teenagers will be there at some point. The door knocking starts around 5:30 p.m. and ends at 7:30 p.m. with a fireworks display on the nearby Myrtle Philip fields.
Residents put a lot of hard work into their homes, and providing treats for all the kids in town is expensive. Donations of candy are welcome and will be accepted at Myrtle Philip and Spring Creek schools, the Whistler Children's Centre, Nesters, IGA and 6448 Toad Hollow.
The road is also closed to non-residents for the event, but the Marketplace is waiving its usual parking restrictions and Whistler Transit will be providing their free Park & Spook Shuttle. The shuttle runs every 10 minutes and will take people to the neighbourhood.
The Whistler RCMP will be out in force throughout the weekend, with extra resources in the village and in the neighbourhoods, as well as a presence at Tapley's Farm for that neighbourhood's trick or treat tradition.
The RCMP also have some basic safety tips - like wearing makeup instead of masks so you can see where you're going, and not wearing costumes you can get tangled up in. If your suit is dark, then you should consider putting reflective tape on your bag or other items or wearing reflective bands on your ankles and wrists.
Parents of trick-or-treaters are reminded to keep their children in sight at all times, to bring a flashlight, and to check their children's candy for any signs of tampering before letting them eat it. Only go to homes that are well-lit and open to trick-or-treaters. Homes expecting trick-or-treaters should ensure that walkways are lit and clear.
