Montclair Village’s annual Halloween festival fun to return Oct. 29
By Lou Fancher
The annual Halloween festival in Oakland’s Montclair Village district that celebrates all things ghostly, neighborly and trick-or-treaty will burst onto this scene this year with free, commemorative bags for the first 350 participants. People rising to the occasion and rapidly making their way to the Sunday Montclair Village Farmers’ Market as the fun kicks off at 10 a.m. Oct. 29 will have Montclair Village Association (MVA) board President David Petlin and Flair Travel to thank for the satchels — and a load of scheduled activities among which to choose. But “Why choose?” asks event organizer and MVA board member Winter Wiliams. “Instead, try them all.” In partnership with participating local businesses like the Urban Village Farmers’ Market, CityHealth, Corner House Studio, Lucky’s and others, the MVA will offer everything from face painting to pumpkin decorating at locations throughout the Montclair Village from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Williams says City Health will hosting the face-painting sessions and give away treats. “Their owner, Sean Parkin, has become an MVA board member and is relaunching our safety subcommittee,” she says. “We’ve had a lot of interest in security in the Village, but we had no one to chair the program. Everyone from residents to shop owners to our board and safety enforcement departments is concerned, and strained resources are causing stress.” Williams says the topic comes up at every association board meeting. For the Halloween event, no services above and beyond the usual are planned, but she and other organizers are still looking into the matter. On a brighter front, the number of businesses stepping up to add oomph to the celebration is on an upswing. Continue watchingPreview: ‘Assassin’s Creed Nexus’ uses virtual reality to bring series closer to fansafter the ad“Lucky’s is great and the new manager there, Dirk Thieme, is all in,” Williams says. “They’re hosting a pumpkin patch, and the enthusiasm is all about being more involved.” Jen Tank, who owns Montclair Village’s new children’s art school, Corner House Studio, will lead the pumpkin carving at the Lucky’s pumpkin patch. Balloons outside local businesses will signal the restaurants, cafes, retail and service shops that are participating. “I started doing that last year at the Holiday Stroll, and (Annie’s) Hallmark (Shop) is great at supporting it,” says Williams. “They contribute the balloons, and I and a helper walk around, check in with owners to verify they are offering something special and attach the balloons. “The amount of community involvement is what I like to bring to events. It softens the barriers between us, and engagement is always a priority. Otherwise, why get together?” Community gathering may find no better, more friendly place for people of all ages and lifestyles than a local farmers’ market. In addition to craft-making at the MVA booth led by volunteers from Red Oak Realty, Montclair Presbyterian Church and Tutu School, Bianca Pardini, of Urban Village Farmers’ Markets, says the location will offer what it provides weekly: a unique atmosphere … and oysters! “The Montclair market is special because it’s a quaint, old-school farmer’s market,” Pardini says. “It’s surrounded by local businesses and there’s a park close by. “Residents can walk to it, so it has a real community feel. There are no extraneous artisan products, only food and farmers. It has something many other markets don’t: raw oysters. All vendors have to be particular about where they go, and this is where this particular vendor chooses to have a presence.” Pardini says the market organization focused in past years on core activities and didn’t often look to extra events to promote the markets. “We decided this was the time. We’ve had 10 markets and have chosen not to expand and would rather just make the ones we have better. We feel the Montclair Village Association is beloved by the community, and if there are people who don’t know about us, we want them to come and learn how special this market is.” Asked to unpack the term “special,” Pardini says that at this time of year people will find unique varietals like chocolate persimmons and heritage seasonal vegetables. Connecting directly with the farmers who grow the food and bring it to the market lets people learn about how the food is produced and to find and ask questions about items not typically found in grocery stores. “And when you run into neighbors, a farmers’ market is a way to connect,” says Pardini. “In this day and age, when so many people take meetings over Zoom, use social media and most conversations are digital interactions, it’s a welcoming space where people come together in-person on a regular basis. For people who maybe don’t go to church, the farmer’s market is church.” On Oct. 29, the market will kick off not only a community gathering but a party celebrating Montclair Village, family-fun, local businesses and, of course, oysters. Inquiries the day’s events can be directed to Williams at [email protected] or the MVA office at 510-288-7918. |