By Mike Kinney
For the first time since 2019, the popular Trick or Treat community event along 23rd Street in Richmond is set to return on Oct. 31, and this year the event will expand to include activities at an additional location at Booker T. Anderson Park.
Organizers Holly Carter and Darlene Rios Drapkin have announced the fifth running of the annual Halloween event, formerly called Trick or Treat on 23rd Street, but now called Trick or Treat-Richmond.
The event was launched in 2015 to spur economic activity and promote a safe, family-friendly environment on the 23rd Street corridor. It became an instant hit, drawing hundreds of community members every year until it was shelved by the pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
“We are going to keep it a little smaller this year for ‘Trick or Treat-Richmond’ to help kids and their parents stay safe, having just come out of two years of the COVID pandemic,” said Carter.
Trick or Treat-Richmond kicks off at Booker T. Anderson Park, 4700 Cypress Avenue, where “Halloween Pickleball” will take place from 1-3:30 p.m. The event will feature a Pickleball Rally, activities and treats on the courts where youth pickleball programs are offered. Halloween Pickleball will serve to provide safe access to fun Halloween activities for students and families from Grant and Stege elementary schools, Drapkin said.
Over on 23rd Street, Halloween festivities will run from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Kids and their families can trick or treat at local businesses and/or enjoy arts, crafts and STEAM activities at the NIAD Art Center (551 23rd St.) as well as at Golden Gate Bistro (601 23rd St.).
Trick or Treat-Richmond is sponsored by Chevron, Sims Metal Management, NIAD, East Bay Pickleball Association, Richmond Police Activities League, Kaiser Permanente, City of Richmond. The NIAD Art Center activities are sponsored by the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and the Northern California Enamel Guild.
Volunteers are needed to make these free community events possible. For example, volunteers are needed to be crossing guards on 23rd Street and for set up and take down at the NIAD and Golden Gate Bistro.
For more information on volunteering, go here, visit the Facebook Event Page here, or email [email protected].
