Seneca Avenue’s Halloween event has been on hold due to the pandemic, but is back in full effect tonight.
This neighbourhood has put on a big Halloween celebration for years. It started back around 1984, when Art and Brenda Dyer began with a set-up that included a gigantic mechanical gorilla, dry ice, a coffin, and lights and sounds worthy of Art’s stage production background. Brenda, dressed as the Bride of Frankenstein, would lie in the coffin for ages to pop out at unsuspecting trick-or-treaters.
Theatrically-minded friends joined in, dressing up and surreptitiously joining the audience in order to add to the scare at the right moment. Neighbours joined in over time, until the Seneca Avenue Halloween party was attracting thousands.
This year, as in the pre-pandemic years, cars are banned from the road from about 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. Councillor Lisa Kearns has helped the neighbourhood sort out the barricades in order to keep trick-or-treaters safe. Enjoy the photos from previous years’ events — and happy Halloween!
Special thanks to Cindy Cosentino for the photos of Halloweens past and for Seneca residents for sharing their story.
