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As the Halloween season approaches, there’s much going to get others engaged, and in downtown Winchester this Saturday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m, Halloween Main-ia will take place.

The event has been made possible largely thanks to efforts from Winchester Design Studio.

“The previous Main Street director reached out to me in September asking if I had any ideas of how to revamp Halloween Main-ia”, said Cameron Correll, the studio’s project coordinator. “I worked with the Main Street director to start thinking through what we could do.”

At Halloween Main-ia, attendees can expect to find trick-or-treat booths with decorated tables and individuals passing out various candies.

Different downtown areas will also be involved so that attendees will learn more about what Winchester offers.

“We’re going to have a downtown scavenger hunt [so] kids can pick up a sheet of paper, and it’s got various clues of spots that they can look for downtown, and they’ll write either the business name or the address,” Correll said. “Once they complete that, they can turn it in for a spooky surprise.”

Adding to the intrigue, a costume parade in which kids dressed up take a walk around Clark County Courthouse takes place at 7 p.m.

A disc jockey playing Halloween-themed music will be present, while inflatables and an obstacle course will also be there for entertainment. Carnival games described as old-fashioned will be in place as well.

It will offer plenty of options for enjoyment for many kids present.

“We’re expecting over 1,000 kids”, Correll said. “In years past, they’ve had upwards of 1,500, and so when we did the [previous] trick-or-treat trails, we gave out 3,000 treat bags across two different parks.”

While Halloween Main-ia will not be the same night as trick-or-treat this year, that hasn’t dampened the community spirit surrounding it.

“It’s been really positive. Everyone’s excited that Halloween Main-ia is coming back to downtown”, Correll said. “Families can come downtown Saturday night [and] participate in the Halloween fun, but then they can still trick-or-treat in their neighborhoods on Monday night…People are pumped!”

Halloween Main-ia has received support throughout the community, including at the Clark County Fiscal Court and Winchester City Commission meetings.

Those in attendance can expect to find a bevy of treats to their liking.

While Kentucky Farm Bureau will grill free hot dogs for kids, Cookies & Cream will be on hand to deliver hot chocolate & ice cream.

Other community partners sponsoring Halloween Main-ia include Main Street Winchester, Dean Builds, Hammerhead Signs, Paynter Tires, Dairy Queen, Wendy’s, Created By You, Beech Springs Farm, Amazon, and Bluegrass Community & Technical College.

For Correll, while entertainment is significant, this event also serves as a reason to welcome others to explore Winchester.

“We’ve got a lot of great new businesses downtown, and we know that bringing people downtown exposes them to those businesses,” she said. “While some of them won’t be open during Halloween Main-ia, we’re hoping that…[Halloween Main-ia] introduces families to some new locations downtown where they can stop at another day when they’re open.”