Chase is brewing up something fang-tastic this fall! With the launch of Halloweek, the village is set to become the Shuswap’s Halloween headquarters and everyone’s invited to join in the fun.
The frightful festivities kick off with the Monster March Parade on Friday, October 24, and organizers are calling on all creatures great and small to take part. Whether you’re a family in costume, a dance group, a local business, a sports team, or a creative ghoul with a decked-out golf cart, everyone is welcome to strut their spooky stuff.
Parade participants are asked to register in advance at bit.ly/ChaseHalloweek, then gather in costume at PharmaChoice (Shuswap Ave & Coburn St.) at 5:30 p.m. The parade begins at 6:00 p.m. and will wind its way through downtown Chase, ending at Willson Park, where the Fright Night Fun Fair will keep the magic alive with games, music, and treats.
But that’s just the beginning! Several spook-tacular activities are already underway leading up to the big week:
Colouring Contest — Pick up your sheet featuring original artwork by local youth artist Dez Loring at Pete’s Pizza, and drop it back off completed by 7 p.m. on October 29 for a chance to win prizes.
Costume Swap — Hosted by the Haldane PAC in partnership with the Chase Library, this month-long swap is the perfect way to give old costumes new life and find something frightfully fun for this year’s festivities.
The Chase Creepy Crawl — Help map out the best-decorated homes and businesses in town! Submit your address by October 21 at ChaseFestival.ca to be included in the official list of local haunts to explore.
Homemade Horror Film Fest — Calling all filmmakers, content creators, and spooky storytellers! Submit your original short film (2–10 minutes, family-friendly/up to PG-13) by October 22 for a chance to be featured in the outdoor Homemade Horror Film Screening on October 27. Films will be projected and played on a continuous loop under the stars, the perfect way to show off your creativity and give the crowd a little scare! Submission details are available on the Halloweek Page
Show Off Your Haunt – Do you have the spookiest house on the block? The funniest? The most creative? We want to see it! We’re creating a community map of decorated homes and businesses so everyone can tour the town and enjoy all the Halloween magic. If you’re decorating this year, register your address by October 28 to be included in the October 31 edition of the Chase Sunflower and on our website.
Donations Wanted — Have Halloween decorations, lights, or props you’re ready to part with? Drop them off at the Chase Visitor Centre (400 Shuswap Ave) to help build our community collection for this and future Halloweeks. We’re also collecting used or damaged stuffed animals for the upcoming Frankenteddies workshop, the perfect way to bring torn teddies back to life!
The full Halloweek schedule of events, including parades, paddles, parties, pancakes, and more, will be printed in a special centrefold edition of the Chase Sunflower on October 24, and is available now at ChaseFestival.ca/halloweek.
“We’ve been thrilled by how the community has embraced the idea,” said the Halloweek Planning Committee. “From kids and families to local groups and businesses, everyone’s jumping in to make Chase the place to be this Halloween.”
So dust off your broomsticks, polish your fangs, and get ready, Halloweek is coming to Chase, and it’s going to be a howling good time!
