Legend has it that the last Friday of each October, Uptown Westerville Merchants, become spellbound by Halloween, creating an enchanting evening filled with tantalizing treats, horse-drawn haywagon rides, surprising special effects & features, and one-night-only Halloween deals. It’s a night when super heroes, princesses, monsters, faeries, lions, and stormtroopers stroll throughout Uptown Westerville among the shopkeepers, citizens, scarecrows & jack-o-lanterns.

So mark your calendars for the Westerville Uptown Merchants Association’s Annual Big Boo on October 31st from 7 p.m. til the bewitching hour of Midnight... if... you... dare....

Take advantage of U.U.T.O. (Uptown Ultimate Treat Optimization): Westerville’s Beggar’s Night is 6 p.m. til 8 p.m. Trick-or-Treat in your neighborhood and then have big fun haunting for treats from the Uptown merchants for even more Beggar’s bounty...

Midnight Madness showcases Uptown Westerville Merchants -- it’s a fun opportunity to browse and buy. This is the night to shop your favorite haunts and dare to venture where you’ve never been before!

You never know what you’ll find...

Be a part of a new Uptown tradition! On October 31st, drop your carved and decorated pumpkin off  (or bring more than one!) in the parking lot next to Morgan’s Treasure (12 W. Main). It costs nothing to enter and... there are prizes!  Click here for details!

By the way, pumpkins are available for purchase Uptown! This season‘s last Uptown Westerville Farmers’ Market is Wednesday, October 29th from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Pick your pumpkin up at the market, bring it Uptown on Friday! Or, stop by Outside Envy, 15 N. State or the Boy Scouts Troop 560 Pumpkin Patch at E. Walnut and S. State throughout October.

Click here, check out our inspiration in Keene, New Hampshire.

A Perennial Uptown Favorite! Sponsored by Gallery 202 (38 N. State), Uptown merchants go creative with a scarecrow decorating contest. The prize? A blue ribbon, bragging rights, and lots of community pride! Check out the Uptown Merchant Scarecrows and vote online for your favorite.

For more information or to enter: www.gallery202online.com

Click here to see the rogue’s gallery of scarecrows past.

Big Boo fun for kids of all ages! Take a horse-drawn trip, not only through Uptown Westerville but through one of the oldest neighborhoods in Westerville, past “the Old Vine Street School” (Emerson).  Haywagons will roll from 7 p.m. til 9 p.m. from Rotary Park at N. State & E. Home.

Be a part of inaugurating a new Midnight Madness tradition!

Dig this: There are Prizes from McDonald's and a Costume Parade at City Hall!

So, dress up in your Halloween best & enter our Madness costume contest (it’s free!).

Judging takes place from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., with winners announced at 9 p.m. at City Hall right before the Costume Parade! 

To join in, follow these instructions...

Pick up your Judges' Tally at Edward Jones Investments, 39 N. State, and see if you can dig up all four Costume Judging Stations planted throughout Uptown Westerville at...

▪ Brown Tax Accounting at 18 W. College

▪ It's All In The Name, down the Haunted Brickwalk at 20-K S. State

▪ Westerville Bike Shop at 29 W. Main

▪ Meza at 48 N. State

Collect scores from all four Judges and return to Edward Jones Investments at 39 N. State to drop off  your completed Judges' Tally by 8:30 p.m.

▪ Visit the courtyard in front of City Hall for special Halloween surprises including goody bags, orange drink, sweet tea, cookies & coupons from McDonald's and... a special Big Boo visit from 7 p.m. til 9 p.m. from... Ronald McDonald!!

▪ Great Read-Alouds for young ghosts & goblins on an All Hallow's Eve... visit the Westerville Public Library's Reading Swing located at Amish Originals Furniture Co., 38 N. State.

▪ Kid-Favorite Westerville Puppet Posse will present a 15-minute show every half hour from 7 p.m. til 11 p.m. at the City Hall fountain courtyard.

▪ Check out Charlie Chaplin films running throughout the evening at Gallery 202, 38 N. State, Upstairs.

▪ No costumes here! The real Westerville Fire Division will be at Union Savings Bank,   44 S. State, next to Hanby School, with real fire trucks and real firefighters!

▪ Authors Mary Ann DiBattista and Sandra Finn will be signing their book, The Puddinhead Story, from 7 p.m. til 8:30 pm at Sample N Gift, 21 N. State, and 9 p.m. til 10:30 pm at Hey Diddle Diddle, 38 N. State.

Can you feel it? It's in the air already! During the month of October, check out the Uptown lampposts between Park & Home for Midnight Madness banners created by Uptown Westerville merchants!  Click here to view the Boo Gallery on flickr.com. 

Utter madness? Not at all! It's the Perfect Gift Anytime! The Westerville Uptown Merchants Association is unveiling... The Uptown Gift Card.  Starting October 31st, The Uptown Gift Card will be accepted and available for purchase at a host of select Uptown businesses. 

Create fond memories, set new traditions... give the gift of an Uptown Westerville shopping experience.

Look for our ad in the October 15th Westerville News and Public Opinion.