Families gather for sweets and fun at Hammond’s annual Indoor Trunk-Or-Treat

On the cool autumn evening of Thursday, October 8, families and children dressed in various colorful and spooky Halloween costumes gathered to collect some treats from the Hammond Civic Center at the city’s annual Indoor Trunk-or-Treat that took place from 5-7 p.m.

Before the festivities even kicked off, the line from the center stretched all along the sidewalk as everyone waited eagerly to get candy and explore the decorations adorned within the center.

Booths from local businesses and organizations filled the inside with games, decorations, sweets, fog machines, and a DJ played the best Halloween tunes. 

Welcoming families and shaking hands with everyone was Mayor Thomas McDermott, Jr., dressed in a silly costume of his own with striped pants, a top hat, and a sash that appropriately read: Mayor. 

“It’s a safe event, and the kids love it. We don’t have to worry about the weather. You’ve gotta love it!” McDermott said.

Nearby, in a cat mask, was Anne Taylor, head of planning and development for the City of Hammond. She was smiling and passing out candy to all who came by.

“It’s a community event meant to bring everyone together and really focus on the children, bringing them to a safe space where they can be creative in their decisions on costumes, be social, hear great music, and see friends,” Taylor said.

She believes the fall months are an important time to get children together and involved.

“It’s near the beginning of the school year, which is always a big deal. This event helps kids work on social skills; they get to talk to grown-ups in a meaningful way,” said Taylor. “We’re also getting ready to hunker down with our family for the winter months. It’s kind of a last hurrah, and so we get them together in large groups before we hunker down for the winter.” 

This is the second year the event has been held at the Civic Center, and it was the perfect place for kids dressed up as superheroes, video game characters, pirates, monsters, and so much more. 

“It’s a great event. I love it. We’ve been doing this for a few years. I did it last year when we hit 800 attendees, and I swore I’d do it every year,” McDermott said.

Throughout the evening, people could be seen laughing, dancing, showing off their costumes, and having a great time. 

“It gets the kids out of their house, into the neighborhood, and interacting with other kids in the city. It just mixes things up,” Taylor said. “It creates that sense of community, a larger community that exists beyond themselves and their family.”

As the days bring us closer to the spookiest day of the year, everyone involved was just happy to get together and get everyone in the spirit.

“It’s really nice getting everybody together, having a good time, eating candy, and getting ready for Halloween,” McDermott said.

For more information on the City of Hammond, you can visit gohammond.com.