Downtown El Cajon’s Main Street was blocked again. Only this time, it was a frightening fun family night with myriad ghouls and creatures big and small that stepped out last Friday as the sun went down to parade down the street. HauntFest arrived.
Downtown El Cajon’s Main Street was blocked again. Only this time, it was a frightening fun family night with myriad ghouls and creatures big and small that stepped out last Friday as the sun went down to parade down the street. HauntFest arrived.
The fifth annual event turned Main Street into an all-out Halloween festival, complete with a carnival atmosphere, costume contest, rides, snacks aplenty, classic cars, mini-golf, face-painting, candy trail, cakewalk, pumpkin patch, two concert stages and even a giant screen playing Godzilla cartoons.
The city of El Cajon, the El Cajon Downtown Business Partners and a large assortment of sponsors put HauntFest together.
Twenty-year-old Jaycee, a volunteer, said she participated because she liked that the event was a different way to give back to the community.
Besides the classic witches, superheroes and vampires, there were some creative homemade costumes walking around.
“This little kid was dressed as a lion with a wagon and it was like a cage,” Jaycee said. “It was really impressive.”
Even the classic cars were decked out for the festivities.
Patty Condos festooned her bright orange ’65 Ford Ranchero with two skeletons poking out the top of the car and huge cartoon eyes on the windshield. She said she also saw a few notable costumes.
“I saw one that was really inventive,” she said. “There was a cute little girl and she was dressed as a tub of bubbles.”
The San Diego Police Museum provided a number of vehicles including a gruesome ’63 ambulance with a crazy patient in the back with the mad doctor, Victor Marcq, who said he has been a part of the festival from the very beginning giving out candy.
The infamous Joker, played by Rick Carlson, who ironically is also involved with the Police Museum, was also present, manning a ferocious trike.
Besides the cars and rides, El Cajon’s Arts in Motion hosted a booming percussion recital and a $1 cakewalk with all the proceeds benefitting Arms Wide Open, an organization seeking to find a cure for pediatric cancer.
The event had an altogether familial atmosphere that Carlson said he was thankful for.
“It’s just a great time and I appreciate being here and having everyone coming out,” he said. ”And happy Halloween!”
