While the kids wait for their nights of trick-or-treating, adults will be celebrating Halloween weekend their own way.
WLDS-WEAI News spoke with several local bar owners and managers to find out what the weekend has in store. As in years past, one of the most popular Halloween events are the various costume contests.
On the Rox manager Chelsea Phillips says, when it comes to this year’s costume contest, her bar is changing things up a bit.
“I think people have a good time, they all come out and dress up and they all go from bar to bar and do the costume contests. People really try to come up with creative, different things and try to stand out. But this year we’re doing ours kind of different, we’re doing a costume parade, it’s going to kind of be like a musical costume contest. They’re going to dance around to the music in a parade and we’re going to have judges and then the last three we’ll do first, second and third cash prizes,” says Phillips.
Don’s Place in Jacksonville is also having a costume party Saturday night. Owner Dan Kindred feels holiday’s like Halloween bring out some of the biggest crowds of the year.
“In this industry, we need all special events, the Halloween and St. Patrick days, those type of days everyone seems to want to come out. We want everyone to come out and enjoy themselves, come and relax and take in all the different costumes,” Kindred says.
Another cash-prize costume party can be found at Good Time Doc’s. Owner Randy Springer breaks down how the contest works.
“We have a five-hundred dollar costume contest and we have a first, second and third, two-hundred fifty for first, one-hundred fifty for second and one hundred for third. There’s really no categories or anything, we go by the crowd. It’s a great night, there’s usually probably between fifty and one hundred great costumes out there,” says Springer.
Aside from the costumes, a number of bars will feature DJs providing musical entertainment and Halloween themed drink specials.