Also in Kawakawa were from left, Aston De Rosa, 5, as the Incredible Hulk; Shay Brown, 5, as a pirate; Maya De Rosa, 5, mermaid; and Ava De Rosa, 6, pirate.
Also in Kawakawa were from left, Aston De Rosa, 5, as the Incredible Hulk; Shay Brown, 5, as a pirate; Maya De Rosa, 5, mermaid; and Ava De Rosa, 6, pirate.
Well over 1000 ghouls, witches, zombies, mummies and other frightening creatures invaded the Bay of Islands on Friday for two community-run Halloween events.
Both events - a Halloween trail in Kawakawa and a "monster mash" in Kerikeri - aimed to give children a chance to experience dressing up and trick-or-treatingwithout knocking on strangers' doors.
In Kawakawa costumed children followed a trail around the town centre with 48 businesses and organisations taking part, including most shops, the Fire Brigade and police. It wasn't all about sweets either, with oral health staff from Ngati Hine Health Trust giving away toothbrushes.
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Many families pulled out the stops to create elaborate costumes. They included Kawakawa man Joey Rapana, who made 18th century period costumes for himself and his daughter using valance sheets and a glue gun. Even Kawakawa's vintage train was decorated for the occasion.
Organiser Chevy Taylor, of Central Butchery, said children came from as far away as Whangarei and Kerikeri to take part, with the best-dressed winning spot prizes. Numbers were well up on last year's 300.
Later in the evening the Kerikeri Primary School PTA held a "monster mash" open to anyone at the school grounds.
Organiser Emma Klinac said it was a huge success with about 900 children following a trail around 11 classrooms. The fundraiser included food stalls and a "room of doom".
Mrs Klinac said the event tied in with personal safety lessons taught at the school discouraging children from knocking on strangers' doors and asking for sweets. Both the Kawakawa and Kerikeri trails were followed by a kids' disco.
