Halloween Walk brings 2,500 trick-or-treaters to Crystal Beach

About 2,500 trick-or-treaters and their families poured into Crystal Beach on Saturday for the seventh annual Halloween Walk, organizer Tara Martin estimated.

The free walk depends on independent businesses along the route, which each spent almost $500 on candy this year, Martin told Fort Erie Radio.

“If it were not for the businesses, this event would not happen,” said Martin.

Martin’s estimate is about 1,000 more than last year’s count of more than 1,500 costumed children, though last year’s figure counted children only. More than 40 businesses took part last fall, four times the 10 that started the walk during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Phil Smith, who owns Hotel Philco and South Coast Cookhouse, said he has watched the walk grow every year.

“Every year I see on Facebook, ‘We’ve got to go down to Crystal Beach,’” said Smith. “That’s what we want to ingrain in people.”

Families competed for cash prizes in costume contests on the stage at the Grove, the park at 4055 Erie Road, where a scary clown took first place for scariest costume.

Organizers added bouncy castles at the Grove this year after bringing in a DJ and food trucks in 2025.

“The bouncy castles are a hit, obviously with the little people,” said Martin.

The Crystal Beach Business Improvement Area (BIA) gave organizers a budget for the walk, while the Town of Fort Erie closed downtown roads for trick-or-treaters.

“I’m not sure that we could stop,” said Martin. “People would arrive on Halloween and they would expect this.”

Martin said organizers plan to hold an eighth Halloween Walk next year.

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