Wearing a variety of creative costumes and carrying treat bags, crowds of families gathered at the Armour Yard in Holyoke recently for Enlace de Familias, Halloween celebrations "Barrio BOOgie" Trunk or Treat.
Betty Medina Lichtenstein, a longtime community activist, joined numerous volunteers who were ready to entertain guests with the familiar beats of Caribbean music. They welcomed everyone with fresh coffee, popcorn and some treats from the grill. Many local businesses and their representatives dressed in costumes participated in the event, passing out candy and interacting with families.
“The street is completely filled with organizations, institutions. I see the police department, I see the fire department. I see the Boys and Girls Club. They're all here together and we're celebrating community," Medina Lichtenstein said. "And we also want to create a very safe space for the children and the parents to be able to come out and to roam freely.”
Officer Darion Colon-Rivera, of the Belchertown Police Department, was also there busy giving away treats to the youngsters next to her cruiser. While serving another community, Rivera was raised in Holyoke.
“I actually reached out to my chief and I said, 'hey, I know this is out of town and asked for permission and he allowed me to be here.' So I'm honored to be here not only because they helped me in my sporting event, but also because I grew up here," she said. "So it's nice to be able to give back to my own community as well.”
Colon-Rivera believes that events like this one are important because they bring members of the community together that do not get to see each other very often.
As the crowds were getting denser a familiar face appeared — Boomer — the mascot for Springfield Thunderbirds, who was jumping in and out of the crowd, taking pictures with families and encouraging people to attend the Thunderbirds games at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.
A sudden nightfall and a crisp change in temperature did not stop the flow of laughter and excitement. The music got louder as did the lines to get treats as the city kicked off the Halloween season.
