The Richmond Hill BIA’s third annual Spooky Village celebration brought costumes, music and families to the historic downtown — and gave local businesses a chance to be discovered.
By Staff Writer
Downtown Richmond Hill was full of little superheroes, princesses, monsters and smiling parents on Saturday afternoon. Spider-Man made an appearance, a dinosaur joined the fun, and the courtyard of the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts turned into an outdoor dance floor.
But behind the costumes, music and Halloween candy was something more important: a creative effort to bring people into downtown Richmond Hill and help local businesses get noticed.
The third annual Spooky Village, organized by the Village of Richmond Hill Business Improvement Area (BIA), took place on October 24, welcoming families from Richmond Hill and neighbouring communities, including Markham and Aurora. Organizers described this year’s celebration as the largest and most successful edition yet.
Candy With a Purpose
Unlike a typical Halloween party where children collect treats at a single location, Spooky Village encouraged families to explore downtown itself.
Children began their adventure at Flex Space on Yonge Street, where they received treat bags and trail cards. From there, they followed a trick-or-treat route through participating local businesses.
The BIA, led by Lena Guirguis, arranged for donated Halloween candy from retailers, including Costco, to be distributed to downtown businesses.
The idea was simple but effective: children had a reason to visit each participating shop, and their parents had an opportunity to discover businesses they might otherwise have walked or driven past. The candy brought families through the doors. The hope is that some will return as customers.
A Downtown Full of Life
The afternoon wasn’t just about trick-or-treating. At the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts courtyard, a DJ brought the music, children danced in their Halloween costumes, and families enjoyed the festive atmosphere.
Spider-Man and a dinosaur added to the excitement, while Guirguis, dressed as the Queen of Hearts, was among the colourful characters celebrating with the crowd. The program also included face painting, glitter tattoos and a costume parade.
Visitors came from beyond Richmond Hill, including neighbouring Markham and Aurora — an encouraging sign for a downtown competing with larger destinations for attention.
More Than a Halloween Party
For downtown businesses, attracting customers isn’t always easy. Many residents pass through the area without stopping, while shopping malls, big-box stores and entertainment destinations elsewhere compete for their time and spending.
Events like Spooky Village offer a different approach. Instead of simply asking residents to shop local, they give people a reason to come downtown in the first place. Once there, visitors can discover shops, restaurants and services they didn’t know existed.
That doesn’t automatically translate into sales, and the event’s long-term economic impact remains to be seen. But introducing potential customers to local businesses is a meaningful first step.
And the benefits go beyond shopping: a lively public space, children playing, parents meeting neighbours, and people enjoying time together all help build a stronger sense of community.
Richmond Hill Can Be a Destination, Too
Richmond Hill residents don’t always need to travel to Toronto or elsewhere for enjoyable family experiences. Spooky Village demonstrated what can happen when local organizers, businesses and community partners work together to create something worth attending.
Credit belongs to the Village of Richmond Hill BIA, Lena Guirguis, participating businesses, sponsors and volunteers who helped bring the celebration together.
The challenge now is to build on that success — not just at Halloween, but throughout the year. A successful downtown is more than a collection of shops. It’s a place people want to visit, spend time in, and return to. And sometimes, it takes a little Halloween candy to remind us of that.
Strong Richmond Hill (STRH) was not involved in organizing Spooky Village. We support community initiatives that strengthen local businesses, bring people together and make Richmond Hill a more vibrant, welcoming place.
Video highlights: See a short video of the event on YouTube.
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