Summer is not yet over, but recent discussion at the Blackshear City Council’s July work session proves that not just retail stores and enthusiasts of spooky fun already have Halloween on their minds.
The difference is the city council is debating permanently relocating local observation of the holiday to Thursday—every year.
Halloween officially takes place each October 31, but as pointed out by Better Hometown Manager Bethany Strickland, this year’s holiday is on a Saturday. Aside from the logistical difficulties of ensuring a safe, fun Halloween on a weekend day, this year’s Halloween celebration would conflict with another, arguably even more important holiday for many Georgians, the Georgia-Florida football game.
Traffic on Georgia-Florida weekend is already “horrendous” says Blackshear Police Chief Chris Wright. Wright went on to say he didn’t relish the idea of trying to keep pedestrians, especially children, safe on the same day increased traffic to and from the game could be flowing through town.
Over the last two years, the city has seen large turn outs for Halloween in the park events supported by local businesses, but even an event confined to the Blackshear City Park would see increased foot traffic in the surrounding neighborhood streets, which is what safety conscious public officials are anxious to avoid on Georgia-Florida weekend.
Citing examples set by other Georgia communities, Strickland said “other towns from Hartnell to Newnan to Vidalia have set a specific day of the week for Halloween.” Strickland proposed Wednesday or Thursday as good candidates.
The council seemed open to the idea, though Thursday over Wednesday appears to be the preferred candidate for a new official Halloween celebration. In the words of city council member Mitch Hall (District 3), pastor of Mershon Baptist Church, and in support of Thursday as the best choice, “You want it so the most people can be involved as possible. If you go with Wednesday, you’ll set the town on fire, so I like Thursday.”
Whatever the final decision, it will require an official resolution by the city council, but no such proposed item was on the agenda for July’s regular monthly meeting the following week.
The Times will follow this story as it develops and report any change to the upcoming celebration of the year’s spookiest holiday.
Patterson and Offerman City Councils generally set an official night for Halloween trick-ortreating, but the city councils there have not discussed the item yet.
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