The Kilmore Community Centre warmly invites curious young ghosts, ghouls, and witches in the Mitchell Shire to trick or treat with them and the U3A ukulele group this Halloween.
With the rise in popularity of Halloween in the Mitchell Shire, varied opinions have surfaced about its cultural relevance and even the financial burden the occasion bears on families doing it tough. But more importantly, debate has flared about the dietary and safety risks involved for young children, and that is why the Kilmore Community Centre has decided to invite the community to trick or treat with them.
Organisers Zoe Collings and Zienna Hedges will be dressing up in their spooky costumes and stated there would be age-appropriate art and craft activities, including making a spider headband and pasting materials onto a cardboard pumpkin. For the older children, there is a weaving activity with recycled wool, and if they choose to, they can decorate their creation with spiders.
The Wallan U3A ukelele group will also be performing.
“The kids love dancing to the ukeleles. [U3A] did ‘Baby Shark’ last year, and the children couldn’t get enough … so they played it again, and again, and again,” Ms Hedges said.
“This is like an introduction to Halloween, and this is a way kids can enjoy it but not actually be filled with sugar. Here they will be interacting with kids.”
The organisers hope that parents and caregivers can relax while their wards experience the tradition without the anxiety of them knocking on a stranger’s door.
The centre holds a playgroup every Tuesday so they are no strangers to keeping children safe from traffic, and boast a child safe front yard and gate.
Centre Manager Rose Colombo said Halloween, just like any other festival, was a time for the community to come together and embrace diversity and traditions.
“Kids can come and trick and treat and leave, they don’t have to do the art and craft. We just want to foster an environment of safety and inclusivity for us all,” she said.
There will be a sausage sizzle, and lots of sugar-free treats, including ice cream made with a Diabetes Australia recipe. A small donation is required to cover costs.
The place to be this Halloween is the Kilmore Community Centre, at 38 Victoria Parade, from 4pm–6pm.
For more information, call Rose Colombo on 5782 2319.
