At 4:30 p.m to 6 p.m. on Thursday, the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce will be hosting Spooktacular, an opportunity for families to explore downtown DeKalb and collect candy along the way. 

Families who plan to attend are encouraged to wear a costume. Throughout downtown Deklab there will be 20 businesses with an orange sign in the windows, indicating they are open and prepared to give trick or treaters candy. 

This will be the 22nd year the Chamber of Commerce conducts this event. Not only is the event family friendly and for all ages, but it’s also free. 

“The chamber purchases all the candy and then the businesses buy it to give out. Some of them do give out toys or coupons,” Marketing & Events Manager for the Chamber of Commerce, Virginia Filicetti said. 

Not only do children get to leave with handfuls of candy and appreciate other kids’ costumes, but adults get to leave with coupons and perhaps new places to shop in mind.

“It’s a way for people to either go into the store to see it or have an idea of where it is,” Filicetti said. Coupons will act as a way to promote businesses and give parents an incentive to stop by again. 

According to Filicetti, the police department and fire department will also be handing out candy to children. As families loop in and out of stores gathering candy, children can stop and speak with firemen and policemen, and tour the police cars as well as the towering fire trucks in front of them. 

“The sidewalks will be full of trick or treaters tonight!” Filicetti said.