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Downtown Harlan was taken over by a host of ghouls, goblins, ghosts, and other scary entities on All Hallow’s Eve (otherwise known as Halloween), with many of the downtown businesses taking part in the fun of the city’s yearly Trick or Treat on Main event last Tuesday.

The event ran from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. on Halloween, much to the thrill of young trick-or-treaters decked out in full Halloween costumes ranging from classic ghosts and skeletons to more elaborate selections such as Godzilla, horror movie villains Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees or even the occasional zombie.

To kick off the festivities, the Harlan County High School Choir was on hand, performing a selection of Halloween-themed music from the gazebo on the lawn of the Harlan County Courthouse. The choir members got into the fun themselves, with many donning Halloween costumes to add a visual aspect to the Halloween-themed performance.

Trick of Treat on Main was ongoing for approximately two hours, allowing participants to take advantage of the offerings from participating local businesses, which were marked with a balloon outside the door. In addition, the local government offices got in on the fun by handing out treats inside the Harlan County Courthouse and at the Harlan County Justice Center.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said a young participant dressed up as slasher Micheal Myers from the well-known “Halloween” movie franchise. “I’m going to come every year.”

Modern day Halloween activities are derived from the world’s oldest traditions regarding the line between the living and dead.

According to the World History Encyclopedia website found at https://www.worldhistory.org, the modern Halloween we observe today has evolved from ancient rituals.

“Every recorded civilization has created some form of ritual observance focused on what happens to people when they die, where they go, and how the living should best honor those who have passed or respond to the dead who seem unwilling or unable to move on,” states the World History Encyclopedia website. “Countries around the world today celebrate Halloween in one form or another, from Mexico’s Day of the Dead to China’s Tomb Sweeping Day. The modern-day observance of Halloween in countries such as the United States and Canada – where this tradition is most popular – share in this ancient tradition.”

Trick or Treat on Main wound down as Trick or Treaters wandered away from downtown Harlan to continue their activities throughout the county, where official Trick or Treat hours were still in effect for a little while longer. Always a popular event, Trick or Treat on Main left many looking forward to returning next Halloween for another round of costumed candy-seeking through the streets of Harlan.