Trick-or-treaters swarm Francis Scott Key Mall in lead-up to Halloween
Oct. 28—Hundreds of tiny princesses, excited superheroes and spooky vampires flooded Francis Scott Key Mall Wednesday evening to celebrate Halloween several days early.
Employees waited at the entrances of their stores to pass out candy to wandering trick-or-treaters while music boomed from a DJ stationed in Center Court. Little ones dashed in front of their parents to dig through cardboard boxes filled with treats, laughing and chattering away with their friends. In one stroller, a baby wearing a cow costume sucked on his fingers while his mother pushed him along.
One-year-old Demi Bowlin slowly toddled through the center of the mall, attached to Shawn Bowlin with a curly-cue leash. She paused for a long moment, staring at the festivities around her with wide eyes.
"C'mon baby girl," Bowlin said, smiling.
It was her first time trick-or-treating, Geena Arnold explained. Last year, like many other families, they had decided not to go out because of the coronavirus pandemic. But on Wednesday, Arnold and Bowlin had dressed the little girl up as Minnie Mouse, a costume complete with a small brown dot on her nose.
Her baby sister, Evelyn Bowlin, peered out from a stroller being pushed by Arnold, dressed as a skunk in a black and white furry onesie.
"She had a hat, but she took it off," Arnold said with a laugh. She pulled out a tiny stuffed tail from beneath the stroller that was also missing from the little girl's costume.
Meanwhile, 6-year-old Zoey Bennett dashed from store to store, trick-or-treating with her friends. This was her first time coming to the mall's Halloween celebration, her mom, Leslie Bennett said. They had been tipped off about the event by the mother of one of her friends.
Zoey was clearly loving it. Later in the evening, she climbed up on the stage where a costume contest was set to begin at 7 p.m. to dance with a little Tinker Bell.
Standing in the doorway of Waldin Jewelers, sales associate Joan Hodgson danced to the YMCA as she passed out candy. So far that night, she'd seen lots of little princesses, Spidermen, Draculas and even one especially cute scarecrow. All of the kids had been just adorable, she said, and they all seemed to be having a great time.
"We're loving this little bit of normalcy," she said.
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