Children can have a sweet time in downtown Aiken at Halloween

AIKEN --- With Halloween less than two weeks away, Aiken is preparing for a night of sugar-filled fun.

The city's parks and recreation department is teaming up with the Aiken Downtown Development Association to sponsor the second Trick-or-Treat on Newberry Street.

The free Halloween festival for ages 12 and younger will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, in downtown.

The festival area on Newberry Street will be cordoned, allowing little ghosts and goblins to run and play safely for two hours, and the event will once again feature Trunk-or-Treating, in which candy is given out from the trunk of a vehicle decorated for Halloween.

Carnival games, inflatables, food, drinks and candy will be available, and there will be a costume contest.

"Last year, over 3,000 people were in attendance, and our hopes are to have as many or more come out to this event," said Alicia Davis, a recreation program coordinator for the city.

The event replaced the trick-or-treating festivities previously held by downtown businesses and consolidated events around town.

In previous years, the downtown trick-or-treating event had kids going from business to business collecting candy. It grew almost unmanageable, with merchants spending thousands of dollars on candy and children doing nothing but standing in line, said Carla Cloud, the executive director the Downtown Development Association.

In 2006, businesses closed down for a couple of hours to accommodate the trick-or-treaters.

"We felt this way we could put (the festivities) back on Newberry and the businesses could continue to do business, and if they wanted to sponsor a trunk they could still get some promotion from it," Ms. Cloud said. "The kids will like it because it is more than just standing in line waiting for candy."

Reach Michelle Guffey at (803) 648-1395, ext. 110, or michelle.guffey@augustachronicle.com.