Downtown La Mesa businesses will welcome trick-or-treaters and their costumed pets Saturday, Oct. 31, for the eighth annual Halloween in La Mesa Village, featuring free candy, stilt walkers and a pet costume contest.
The free event, organized by the La Mesa Village Association, runs from 4 to 6 p.m. along La Mesa Boulevard and adjacent streets between Grant and Acacia Avenues, on both sides of Spring Street.
Participating shops and restaurants will distribute candy and other treats, while Halloween-themed stilt walkers roam the boulevard and interact with visitors.
The celebration began in 2019 after several downtown business owners discussed organizing a Halloween event for local families, said Elizabeth Ranta, who handles marketing for the La Mesa Village Association.
“It was just a conversation with a few local business owners who just love Halloween,” Ranta said. “We proposed it to the board and they were all for it.”
What started as a trick-or-treating event has expanded to include stilt walkers and the Howl-o-Ween Pet Costume Contest, which attracts about 50 to 75 registered pets, according to Ranta.
“It’s really focused on the local community coming down and also interacting with those small businesses,” Ranta said. “A lot of the time, the owners are out there handing out candy as well.”
The pet costume contest begins with check-in at 3:30 p.m. at the fountain courtyard near the La Mesa Boulevard trolley station. Pets can compete in two categories: “Best Pet/Pet Parent Combo” and “Most Festive Halloween Pet,” with prizes awarded to the top three entries in each.
Some participants have turned the contest into an elaborate production.
Ranta recalled a couple at last year’s event who built a large pirate ship with simulated cannon smoke. Dressed in pirate costumes, the couple pulled the ship with their costumed dog riding at the bow.
“They were dressed up in full pirate costumes, as well as their dog,” Ranta said. “It was just amazing. They really outdid themselves.”
While the contest brings pets and their owners together, businesses throughout the Village have developed their own ways to participate.
At La Mesa Thrift Store, 8340 Lemon Ave., children can collect free books instead of candy.
Suzanne Kirkland, president of the La Mesa Community Welfare Association, which operates the thrift store, said the idea came from a friend who preferred handing out books to trick-or-treaters.
The store normally closes at 3 p.m. but will remain open until 6 p.m. for the celebration, giving families more time to visit.
Other participating locations include Johnny B’s Burgers, Surf Rider Pizza and Whissel Beer Group. Central Congregational Church will offer a children’s craft activity outside Whissel Beer Group, while the La Mesa Police Department is also listed among participants.
Each business provides its own candy or other giveaways, and the association updates its online list as more businesses confirm their participation.
Ranta said the event also gives independent shops a chance to reach visitors who might not otherwise know about them.
“It’s just great exposure for these smaller shops and independent businesses to be able to showcase what they offer,” Ranta said. “Someone might see them and have never known about them.”
Families should bring their own trick-or-treat bags or buckets. Pet owners must keep their animals leashed or in carriers and clean up after them.
No tickets are required. For more information and an updated list of participating businesses, visit the La Mesa Village Association’s website.
