Kids got an extra day of Halloween with help from local businesses over the weekend.

Saturday afternoon, downtown businesses hosted a trick-or treating event called the Downtown DeKalb Spooktacular. More than 40 downtown businesses handed out candy to children in Halloween costumes. The sidewalks of downtown DeKalb were packed with children dressed in their costumes.

Space alien Mateo Poeliniz, 5, said he likes candy. Mateo’s sister, Daniela, 3, a bumblebee, agreed.

Some local businesses saw hosting a family-friendly Halloween event as an opportunity to give back and bring the community closer together.

“It’s nice to have a small-town feel,” said Betsy Hendrey, owner of candy store The Confectionary, 149 N. Second St. “DeKalb is a really nice community and the downtown has been revitalized. I think of it as a thank you to our customers for all their business throughout the year. So this is the one day of the year we give out free candy.”

Student volunteers from the NIU Educators Club Catie Holmes, sophomore elementary education major, and junior history major Alex Kyc helped children safely cross the street during the event.

“I’ve seen families meeting up, so kids get to see other people in their community, which I think is a really cool way for everyone to get to get to know each other,” Holmes said.

The Spooktacular also reached out to parents.

“It’s an opportunity to showcase what the small businesses have to offer that we often don’t know about,” said Marissa Medina-Poeliniz, mother of Mateo and Daniela. “For me, it’s also about supporting our local businesses.”

Rob Deshazer, co-owner of Tapa La Luna, 226 E. Lincoln Highway, said the Spooktacular was held purely in the spirit of the holiday.

“It’s great seeing all the kids happy and running around in their costumes,” he said.