Haddonfield is gearing up for Halloween season with its third annual night market on Friday, Oct. 25.
The popular event will take place along Kings Highway from 4 to 8:30 p.m. and will feature vendors selling everything from hand-crafted textile works and art; candles; soaps; decorative pieces; and jewelry, among others.
“Anything to do with the spooky, the scary, the macabre, we hope to draw out our own residents and visitors from around the region,” said Mayor Colleen Bianco Bezich.
In the past three years, the market has grown from 20 or 30 vendors, to 40 in the second year, to about 50 to 60 expected this year. Kings Highway will be closed from Haddon Avenue to Tanner Avenue. Police and the mayor also plan to host a spooky movie night, though the film has yet to be chosen.
The streets will be lined on both sides with vendors and there will be a DJ playing spooky music, as well as a quartet playing horror- and Halloween-themed music.
“You have a huge gambit, kitschy Halloween decor and also this really great element of Gothic-inspired and horror-inspired genre, artwork and craft and artisans displaying everything,” Bianco Bezich said.
“We also have local vendors that might also have brick and mortar locations selling soaps, candles and anything that could be horror-genre related, or artistically, that film-noir look, in keeping with the spirit,” she added.
The vision for the night market came four years ago. There has been a wait list for vendors since the opportunity came earlier this year. Participating restaurants may also have longer hours and feature seasonal menu items.
Some of the wares on display will include apothecary, oddities, hand art, pop art, clothing, face-painting and temporary tattoos. A number of local businesses will also participate. Sparrow’s will show the free movie “Matilda” at 6 p.m. There will also be a variety of Halloween-themed products.
Play at Art will feature “make a mask” at its tent and King’s Road Brewing Co. will selling Halloween merchandise. At 1692 Metaphysical Gifts there will be a witch hat-making workshop.
After feedback from the community, it was decided that the window-decorating contest for businesses will be moved to winter holidays, but there will still will be a haunted house- decorating contest.
To learn more about the night market, or to see a full list of vendors, visit downtownhaddonfield.com.
