Oakmont Chamber Halloween event brings out costumed crowd

Della Harbadin put her right hand in, took her right hand out, then put her right hand back in and shook it all about.

The 10-year-old Oakmont resident dressed as Disney’s Mulan did the socially distanced hokey pokey as she and hundreds of other trick-or-treaters made for a great turnout at the inaugural Oakmont Chamber of Commerce Halloween celebration Oct. 29.

Many businesses along Allegheny River Boulevard, from California to Pennsylvania avenues, participated.

Carabella was a popular stop for treats.

“We ran out of candy three times,” said owner Carol Kinkela. “We’re having a blast. It’s fun to have the kids outside. Everybody’s wearing masks and just want to be out and have fun, a little sense of normal.”

Shannon and Colin Wiehagen of Oakmont walked with their children, Lila, 7, and August, 6. Lila was a butterfly and August was a Mandalorian from “Star Wars.”

“It’s nice for everybody to be able to get out with everything that’s going on and still be able to see the businesses and get out and about to see the community,” Colin Wiehagen said.

Lila said she had a great time; her favorite candy was Skittles.

People from many communities made the trek to Oakmont including Patty Ober from Hampton, who was visiting with relatives in the borough.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Ober said. “It was a nice thing for them to put on.”

It had rained most of the day, but the clouds parted around 5 p.m. just in time for the event.

Music and dancing was provided by Dinnin & Parkins Associates. It also had a Halloween photo contest with families taking pictures under a tent by the business.

Photos would be uploaded to the company’s Facebook page. People vote via “likes” and the one with the most votes wins a $50 gift certificate to the Pub at 333.

“We have a crowd of people, and that’s what we were hoping for,” said Michelle Clark, Dinnin & Parkins personal lines sales and marketing representative. “It had rained all day, and we just weren’t sure it was going to happen. We’re just grateful to be able to do something for the kids.”

Chamber Director Karen DeTurck dressed as the Oakmont squirrel, Chip Chip, and posed for pictures in front of a spooky background on stage at The Oaks theater.

“The little kids either love me or are really scared,” DeTurck said of the experience. “I started taking my head off and saying, ‘I’m just a mom in here’ so they’re not so scared. I love doing this though. I’d love to be out on the sidewalk having fun with the kids out there, but they wanted me in here.”

The event was organized in large part as a response to the annual Halloween parade being canceled.

For more than a decade the Riverside Women’s Association presented the parade along the Boulevard.

An association spokesperson said logistically it was not possible to do this year.

DeTurck said she received a lot of interest from businesses along Allegheny Avenue, which runs parallel to Allegheny River Boulevard just below the train tracks. However, the avenue was not used for the event due to safety concerns.

“We didn’t want to have kids trying to cross down there, especially if it was raining,” she said. “We told them they were welcome to bring candy up and stand out here and give candy out.”

The Boulevard was not closed to traffic during the event.

Trick-or-treat in Oakmont and Verona boroughs is from 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 31.