By May Soricelli
The Surveyor

Locals participate in Halloween festivities at last year’s Treat-on-the-Street Halloween event hosted by Grace Place in Fickel Park. Treat-on-the-Street returns Oct. 31 starting at 2:30 p.m. with participating businesses mostly along Mountain Avenue who’ll be handing out goodies to trick-or-treaters and there will once again be festivities in Fickel Park and more at the newly opened Grace Place located at 375 Meadowlark Drive.
Surveyor file photo

The game of “Monopoly” is the theme for this year’s Treat-on-the-Street, which is anticipated to be a hit with families this Halloween. A high turnout of people filled the streets at last year’s inaugural Treat-on-the-Street hosted by Grace Place, and this year an estimated 800 will participate. As far as free, festive, family-friendly and fun events go, this one is getting bigger and better. The community’s businesses will come together once more to host trick-or-treating in downtown Berthoud and offer children and their families a less-scary and safer alternative to trick-or-treating. In addition, a Trunk-or-Treat will be held on the east end of Mountain Avenue, where several cars will be decorated with unique themes and candy will be handed out to trick-or-treaters. Churches are also collaborating to put on the Trunk-or-Treat, and Sonoco Products at 290 Mountain Ave., is lending their parking lot to facilitate that portion of the festivities.

The starting place for trick-or-treating will be at Fickel Park between 2-3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31. The town’s Halloween will be everything “Monopoly,” with balloon-lined streets and giant silhouette cutouts of the familiar game’s pieces such as “the Boot” or “the Dog.” An inflatable slide will also be in Fickle Park. Participants can pick up a punch card at the park and will be able to collect stickers along the route from various businesses and booths. As many as 20 businesses will be involved in the fun. The game card can be entered in a drawing at the end of the evening, and some of the possible prizes include actual Monopoly games.

Grace Place’s move to its new location has allowed them more space for the free carnival aspect of Treat-on-the-Street. The downtown trick-or-treating will end back at Fickel Park where Grace Place will provide hayrides to families as a shuttle to the church’s new location on west Mountain Avenue near Highway 287. The carnival will go from 3:30-5:30 p.m. at the church.

The Trailhead Cafe will serve up free bowls of chili. Last year’s event was so successful the church made 300 bowls of chili and ran out before the night was over. The adjoining children’s building, called the Outpost, will host carnival games, which will be even more plentiful than last year’s. The pastors have created 15 games for kids to enjoy at all levels; all incorporating the dynamic aspects of “Monopoly.” Families can even have their picture taken with the Monopoly Man at the photo booth. Children will receive Monopoly money at each of the games, which they can spend at the prize area and receive candy, stickers and small toys. The pastors at Grace Place are all getting involved in different aspects of the event and are going all out for the community this year.

“Grace Place is a place of wanting to love people and help people,” said Monique Green, “to bring people together as part of a family and community.”

Green, coordinator for Grace Place, participated in last year’s Trunk-or-Treat and is excited to help decorate for this year’s Treat-on-the-Street. She said the best part is getting to see people that are familiar because of the small community.

“It’s a very Norman Rockwell celebration,” she said, “The quaint town; it’s festive ‒ and safe.”