Sirens started blaring and the vehicles rounded the corner and started down Main Street. There was a firetruck with a clown passenger and police cars. A convertible had a skeleton riding shotgun.
The line of vehicles proceeded slowly as small, socially distanced groups stood along Main Street holding bags and buckets. Many were wearing costumes and all were waiting for the main Halloween event in Enfield this year.
“I’m sorry!” a masked passenger in a police car said as a handful of candy whacked the mask of a trick-or-treater, who didn’t seem to mind and rushed to retrieve the goodies from the ground.
“Looking good, guys, looking good. Happy Halloween!” Iron Man alter ego Tony Stark called from the bed of a red pickup as he threw candy at the crowd. His sidekick, a dog dressed as Waldo from Where’s Waldo, rode alongside him.
A silver SUV carried multiple Minions, the adorable goggled yellow globs that have permeated popular culture since their debut in Despicable Me. A Disney-themed car sported red and black crates on the roof propping up Minnie Mouse’s large, red, polka-dotted bow. A giant inflatable spider sitting rode atop an SUV from the Enfield Outing Club as webbing and smaller spiders clung to the hood and sides.
The parade, a joint effort between the Enfield recreation and police departments, was held in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many towns throughout the area, Enfield adjusted its Halloween events in light of the pandemic and restrictions on gatherings. Residents donated candy in the days leading up to the parade.
But back on Main Street, 10-year-old Blake Howard marveled as a Batmobile convertible drove by.
“I think it’s pretty cool,” said Blake, of Enfield, who had transformed into Michelangelo, noted party dude from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
“It was one of those, I was looking through my closet and I just kind of found it,” Blake said of his costume.
“Anything that keeps things somewhat normal for the kids is a good thing,” said Blake’s mom, Jerusha Howard, complimenting the town.
While Howard bought candy in case any trick-or-treaters stopped by their Enfield home, she said she was uncertain if they’d go door-to-door themselves.
“We’re doing this instead, so I’m not sure if we will,” Howard said.
After leaving the groups on Main Street, caravan of more than dozen vehicles continued across the bridge spanning Mascoma Lake and onto Route 4A and drove through Lakeview Condos before continuing down Route 4A to Shaker Hill Road and ending at Union Street.
Back with the Howards was the DeFelice family, who dressed as characters from the book Where the Wild Things Are for the Halloween rumpus. Tammi DeFelice; her husband, Tony; and children Stephen, 13, and Nic, 11, were monsters from the book, while 6-year-old Laura sported a wolf costume and crown as the main character Max.
“We’ve been waiting for the costumes to fit appropriately,” she said, noting that they’d been made for a performance at a dance school she used to own.
In years past, the family, who live just over the border in Canaan, would trick-or-treat along Main Street in Enfield.
“It’s different,” Stephen said of the parade. “We weren’t able to do it, so this is a new change.”
The family did not plan on trick-or-treating later that night.
“We’re just going to respect the fact that the town asked us to do this instead of trick-or-treating,” DeFelice said. “This is perfect. We still got to meet friends socially distanced.”
And as a parent, she was grateful that her children got to have a Halloween experience.
“Enfield nailed it,” DeFelice said. “They still got to get dressed up.”
Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.
