Halloween is upon the Battlefords and surrounding area. (Josh Ryan/battlefordsNOW)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

Ghosts & goblins galore

Battlefords residents embrace Halloween spirit

Oct 30, 2021 | 6:35 PM

We’re one sleep away from Halloween in the Battlefords and surrndounging, where the enthusiasm for a ghoulish celebration starting to come back.

Many households didn’t participate last year, due to pandemic restrictions. While that may still be the case for some, others are more comfortable in enjoying the festivities. In an unscientific poll on battlefordsNOW, more than half the respondents said they will participate in trick or treating, with more than 30 per cent also planning on at least handing out candy.

(submitted/Abby McLeod)

Some households that hold annual parties have switched their focus to front yard decorations. North Battleford Resident Nancy Wagner said she’s always celebrated at a costume party, but given the absence of those in the past two years, she joined those embracing the property aesthetic, with graves and a giant skeleton denoting her home.

“It’s been fun, I’ve already had a lot of people driving by,” she said.

Riderville

Now for the Hard Part

Dec 10, 2025

Grey Cup!!!

Everything you wanted and more

Nov 21, 2025

Ferland earns Grey Cup ring

'A wonderful human being': High school coach thrilled Logan Ferland is a Grey Cup champion

Nov 17, 2025

(Josh Ryan/battlefordsNOW)

A Halloween fan since she was young, Wagner said it’s encouraging to see the spirit of the season endure in the area, while growing in others. Wagner said the global reach of the celebration as increased.

“I follow a couple Halloween Facebook groups and some of the countries that don’t really celebrate Halloween have started to more and more,” she said.

Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie has noticed some local growth in people celebrating Halloween. Since moving to the Town, he and his family didn’t see a lot of families out on October 31, but that quickly as soon as he started populating his front yard with a variety of creatures and spectres.

“As soon as we started doing decorations, the number of kids trick or treating got bigger and bigger,” “On an average year we used to get 20 kids, but now with this [setup] we get around 100 kids.”

(Josh Ryan/battlefordsNOW)

Some of the larger mainstays of the setup have particularly caught eyes each year, including a large spider.

“It’s got a large variety of colours at night,” Leslie said. “And then neighbourhood dogs have a hard time walking past the yard [because of] the big black cat. It definitely draws a lot of attention.”

(Josh Ryan/battlefordsNOW)

Plenty of ‘spooky’ memories

Like other cultural holidays in Canada, Halloween brings plenty of Nostalgia. Leslie said it was a big day for his son growing up, who pushed the Mayor to get this arrangement going.

“He actually drove nine hours to help set this up, then drove back nine hours to get home,” Leslie said. “It was always his goal to share Halloween with the community.”

Some people embrace the full spectrum of Halloween traditions. Battleford resident Danae Schell said she and her son are always looking forward to this time of year for their annual shows and activities, which has lacks the pressure to be perfect that sometimes comes with Christmas.

“We love watching movies like Hocus Pocus and the It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown while carving pumpkins,” she said. “And we love the whole atmosphere of being spooky and fun, where he can dress up and take part in wherever his imagination takes him.”

(Josh Ryan/battlefordsNOW)

This year the Schell’s are enjoying their first Halloween in their new home in Battleford, though they’re not new to the area. Schell said there’s a few landmarks that are fun to match with the season, such as the Fred Light Museum.

“I still feel like its haunted and there’s creepy kids looking through the windows,” she said laughing.

As much as the theme of Halloween is true for most fans, Schell said people shouldn’t others a hard time if they chose to costumes and decorations that are less scary.

“It’s not just for pumpkins, ghouls and witches,” she said. “Give kids an opportunity to be who they want to be without being judged.”

—

cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW