Trick or Treating in Downtown Durango

Merchants/BID/City organize new holiday activity for children

 

In an effort to provide a safe “trick or treat” environment for area children, as well as bring families to Downtown Durango for a Halloween celebration, the Durango Business Improvement District (BID), Downtown merchants and the City of Durango are hosting a “Children’s Halloween,” Sunday, Oct. 31.

Downtown merchants (a list of which follows) will offer Halloween goodies and surprises between 3 and 6 p.m. for children 10 years old and younger dressed in costumes and accompanied by an adult.

“We’ve wanted to do something family-friendly to celebrate Halloween in Downtown Durango for some time now,” said Bob Kunkel, BID acting executive director. “Credit for this great idea goes to Robert Stapleton, owner of Southwest Sound, who really got the ball rolling with the merchants. The BID, Durango Chamber of Commerce and City of Durango were delighted to partner and help organize the details and underwrite the event.”

Some 45 merchants had signed up to participate as of press time. Those committed to displaying bright orange pumpkins in their windows, which designate their involvement in the event are (in alphabetical order):

Affordable Framing, Animas Trading Company, Appaloosa/Rough Riders, Baskin Robbins, Beads & Beyond, Blu, Cloudberries, Del Sol, Derailed Saloon, Diamond Circle Gift Shop, Down to Earth, Durango Coffee Co., Durango Kid, Eureka Clothing, Fuzziwig’s, Gloss, Goodman Art Bin, Kids Rock, Karyn Gabaldon Fine Arts, Lanka Blue Jewelry, Leland House, Misbehavin’, Montego Bay, Open Shutter Gallery, Pine Needle Mountaineering, Polo Ralph Lauren, Purple Moose, Rain Dance Gallery, Rio Grande Trading, Rocky Mountain Children’s Co., Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Shared Blanket, Silk Sparrow, Smelter’s Coal Room, Southwest Sound, Starbuck’s, Steaming Bean, Steamworks Brewing Co., Strater Hotel, Termar Trends, Tippy Canoe, The Wells Group, Wings Salon & Aesthetics, Your Running & Tennis Store and YESS the Book Hutch.

“There likely will be even more merchants who’ll join in the fun, so we encourage trick or treaters to keep an eye out for the pumpkins in the windows,” said Pam Glasco, BID community relations manager. “Participating merchants are located literally throughout Downtown, from Rio Grande Land, to the side streets and Second Ave. and north to about 11^th St. It’ll be a fun challenge for kids to ‘find’ the pumpkins in the windows.”

Wandering in and out of stores in Downtown will also remind parents of the unique and varied shopping opportunities in Durango, added Glasco. BID, the Chamber and the City are all proponents of “Look Local First” to help sustain Durango’s economy.

Parking throughout Downtown is free on Sundays. For additional information about the Children’s Halloween event, visit www.downtowndurango.org or call 970.375.5067.

The Durango Business Improvement District was formed in 1997 with a goal and mission to support businesses within the District by assisting with special event marketing, providing research on topics of concern to the District (facilities, special events, best practices), planning and development of new facilities, and providing capital budget for equipment that enhances business in the District. Funding is generated by a 1.5 mill levy on property owners within the district, with additional marketing dollars contributed by the City of Durango and Durango Area Tourism Office. BID Board members are John Wells, presiding officer; Bob Allen, Karen Barger, Rod Barker and Tim Wheeler.