Treats in the Streets event gives early start to Halloween in Waterloo

Treats in the Streets brought dressed up families to the streets of Uptown Waterloo, for a pre-Halloween experience on Saturday.

The event, run by the Uptown Waterloo Business Improvement Area (BIA), marked its sixth year.

Jessica O'Connor brings her daughter every year.

“Ever since they started it… we were here,” said O’Connor. “[My daughter] was a witch. She was young... We’ve been coming ever since.”

Many of the businesses on King Street South near William Street opened their doors to children and their families looking to trick or treat early this year.

The stores gave free candy out, while also getting the chance to share more about their business.

“It's sort of like an open [house] for them,” said Jeyas Balaskanthan, the executive director of the Uptown Waterloo BIA. “[It’s an] opportunity for people to go in with their kids, have candy, and also learn about different businesses that you wouldn't usually go into.”

Andrew Vojdani works at Luxe Nail Bar on King Street. The business has been participating in the event annually.

“We’ve been doing this Treats in the Streets thing for I would say five or six years now,” said Vojdani. “We've had a great amount of support from the community, so it's nice to be able to give back, even if it's just in candy.”

Activities such as face painting, balloon art, and meeting Waterloo’s Fire Crew were also available for families to enjoy.