It was all treats and no tricks at the Community Engagement Center’s inaugural Spookapalooza.
Halloween fun was in full swing at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Community Engagement Center (CEC)’s inaugural Spookapalooza, a weeklong event that brought Halloween-themed events and activities for the whole family from Oct. 24-28.
The week included several spooky and fun activities such as Halloween crafts, a costume makeup workshop, and a family-friendly, scary movie night. The CEC even set up a Halloween-themed photo booth for participants to pose in front of with their costumes.
The culminating event of Spookapalooza was Trick or Treat with UMB. The parking lot across from the CEC was transformed into a Halloween bash. UMB staff, students, and several community partners set up tables around the lot for West Baltimore neighbors to trick or treat. Some tables such as the UMB Police Department and Baltimore Family Connections gave out candy, and others gave out healthy treats and Halloween-themed trinkets. The National Museum of Dentistry table had fruit snacks and costume vampire teeth, and the UMB CURE Scholars table gave away popcorn and glow sticks. There were also games, music, and a scavenger hunt for neighbors to participate in. The day brought a strong sense of community and excitement ahead of Halloween on the 31st.
The week of events was organized by Liv Myers, program coordinator at the CEC. The CEC hopes that Spookapalooza will become an annual tradition for UMB and its West Baltimore neighbors.