Ben Garbacz/Daily Mining Gazette Hundreds of trick-or-treaters and their families lined Shelden Ave for this year's Treat Street. The annual pre-Halloween event allows families to collect candy from businesses in daylight and a safe environment.

HOUGHTON — Warm temperatures on Saturday did not scare away families looking to collect candy during the City of Houghton’s 16th annual Treat Street on Shelden Ave. Hundreds of costumed trick-or-treaters and their families walked up and down the closed off street collecting candy from participating businesses for a pre-Halloween celebration during the two hour event.

Houghton City Clerk Amy Zawada said the event is a safe in the fall for the whole Copper Country, due to the street closure and a safe and easier trick-or-treating experience.

“At this point, I think we all just kind of seamlessly do it year after year,” Zawada said. “In the future, maybe we’ll make it bigger and better, but it’ll always be I think the basis of Sheldon Avenue trick-or-treating.”

She said each year the event brings a festive feeling in the air, even if it is snowing or raining. Businesses are not required to sign up, and some businesses participated for the first time, including the Prickly Pine Cafe and its owners, Robert and Genivere Klimek. Robert said the event builds a sense of community although was a bit worried about running out of candy for his businesses first Treat Street. However many children were still served treats from the cafe with many smiling as they received them. Though it was the couple’s first Treat Street, Robert shared what he believed makes the event so unique.

He said this time of year weather begins to turn unfavorable for many tourists, and after they have seen the fall colors they start to go back home around the Color Run event.

“By the time Halloween stuff starts happening, most of the tourists are gone, so the community members can actually come out and see each other and do things with the local businesses,” Robert explained. “They can’t during other times of the year because the streets and the sidewalks are overcrowded with random people from all over other places. So it’s really cool to actually get to see the local families out, and that’s kind of what makes this event one of the special ones.”

Michigan Tech was also involved in the celebration with university groups, fraternities and sororities handing out candy on one of the parking decks, including Phi Delta Chi. The fraternity’s Philantropy, Indigo Mile, said as college students there sometimes feels like there is a divide between students and the community, and she is glad to have the opportunity to bridge the gap through service to the community. Mile is also happy to celebrate the holiday she has fond memories of.

“I just think that Halloween is a great time,” she said. “It was super memorable for me as a child. I always loved going out, and I’m just glad that I get to be on the other side of it now, even though I don’t have a house that I’m giving out candy at, I still get to do this.”