The rain stayed away until after Calle Real Center hosted superheroes, princesses, ghouls and goblins at the center’s annual Halloween Extravaganza.
Once again the merchants of Calle Real Center, between Patterson and Fairview avenues, hosted a fantastic Halloween party for the Goleta community. Children and adults put on their best costumes and joined in the fun, going store to store collecting candy and other goodies all afternoon Friday.
Two face painters from Tea in Tiaras! kept busy, painting exotic faces on adults and children alike, and four bounce houses, provided by Santa Barbara Jumps!, were constantly busy. There was also a balloon guy who always had a crowd around him while he handed out a variety of swords, hats and balloon animals.
The Pet House showed off many of its creepiest and crawliest pets in a Tunnel of Living Terrors, complete with scary music and screaming background sounds.
Meanwhile, Baroness Jewelers did the nearly impossible by outshining last year’s fabulous and professional Halloween display. One person was heard commenting, “It’s like Disney’s haunted house in there!” The witches were all in full costume and the cauldron was bubbling over while eyeballs and newts simmered on the fire.
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department and an American Medical Response ambulance participated, too, letting the kids climb into the equipment. AMR even hooked up an EKG to children so they could watch their own heart beat.
Nearly 1,200 parents and children attended. Kudos to the Calle Real Center merchants for hosting this free, family-friendly event every year, and thanks to Noozhawk, Rincon Broadcasting, ParentClick Santa Barbara, SB Sentinel and Big City Buzz for helping out as media sponsors, and for the support and assistance from the Goleta Valley and Santa Barbara chambers of commerce.
— Glenn Avolio is a member of the Calle Real Merchants Association.
