Hometown Halloween
By JARED PUTNAM

Pocahontas isn't quite sure she wants the trophy she won in the Costume Contest.

Blairsville's Hometown Halloween on the Square turned out a crowd bigger than what anyone seemed to expect Tuesday night, as 72 local merchants filled trick-ortreaters' bags with goodies. The event also featured costume contests and old fashioned games on the Union County Historic Courthouse lawn.

While it was difficult to gauge just how many people attended the event, a very conservative number puts the turnout in the hundreds, while some have suggested that there may have been as many as 2,000 people there.

Teresa Dorton and Buddy Moore are cochairs of the Promotions Committee of the Downtown Development Authority. They worked together with the historical society and local businesses to make the event happen. The goal was to "make it about Blairsville and promoting who we are," said Dorton. "We're so pleased that we had the attendance we did."

Blairsville Mayor Jim Conley said he too was surprised that the turnout was so large. "I just have to thank everybody that put this together," said Mayor Conley. "There was a lot of time and effort [put in]. Everything went off without any major incidents. I thought everybody was well behaved."

Noah Frost's mummy was a winner in the 4- 8 age group of the Costume Contest.

Mayor Conley said that while things went smoothly and everyone seemed to have a good time, there was one aspect that everyone wants to improve for next year's event. "We really needed to have the town closed off like with the Sorghum Festival Parade," said the mayor. "That will be the goal next year."

Winners from the Costume Contest held on the Square. Right: Ages 3 and under; Far right: Candy exchanges hands between merchants and trick-ortreaters. Winners from the Costume Contest held on the Square. Above Ages 4-8; Below: Ages 9 and up. Appalachian Community Bank was one of 72 merchants that participated in Hometown Halloween.