Cambria kids get plenty of treats for Halloween

As the sun began to set Oct. 31, Cambria’s Wood Drive neighborhood came alive with hundreds of costumed vampires and princesses, muscle-bound padded superheroes, cowboys, an inflated “big baby” and dragon, and a swarm of baby bees.

The area’s annual Halloween trick-or-treat invasion had begun.

The landscaped areas for some homes were lavishly decorated, as usual.

Some residents were in costume, waiting for youngsters (and some not so young) to dip into the candy stock and dash off toward the next house.

The festivities on Wood Drive followed a trick-or-treat parade through West Village, led by Rick Bruce, aka the Village Wizard. Several kids took part in both events, although the West Village event — which has become a tradition — drew many younger children and their parents. A family of bees, a couple of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, some superheroes, zombies and Disney princesses were among the many participants.

“One thing that I think is really great about this event is it gives parents a chance to take out the little ones who may not be ready for the excitement of trick-or-treating in the dark,” Bruce said. “That can be a bit overwhelming and our parade is heavy on fun and light on scary.”

Bruce credited Norma Casas of the women’s clothing store Froggies with setting up the event, and most of the West Village merchants handed out treats to the youngsters. He said the event seems to grow each year.

“I believe that there must have been more than 200 kids,” he said. “I’ve talked to Norma, and next year, we’re going to get volunteer crossing guards stationed at the cross streets.”

The parade’s official start was at 3:30 p.m. in the Cambria Connection parking lot. But several parents and children struck out on their own, too, some of them going in the opposite direction from the main line, which headed northwest toward Highway 1, then crossed over and returned down the opposite side of the street.

“I’m pleased that Norma … continues to coordinate the merchants and honored that she invites me to participate every year,” said Bruce, who himself owned a magic shop (also called The Village Wizard) in Cambria from 2001 to 2010. “I hope to lead the parade for years to come.”

One trick-or-treater walked around costumed as a giant, inflatable Tyrannosaurus rex.

Outside their home on Wood Drive, as the West Village parade was winding down, host Roger Robinson did candy-doling duty as wife Sue and their guests noshed on chili and greeted trick-or-treaters. The scene was set by twinkling orange-red lights and Roger Robinson’s clever wooden cutouts of pumpkins, ghosts and witches.

The adults were charmed by the creatively costumed children who politely took their turns at the candy bowl and bag, and who mostly said “thank you” without prompting from the accompanying parents.

“We’re so lucky to live here,” guest Janis Hudler said midway through the steady stream of trick-or-treaters, which included groups that sometimes topped 30 to 50 kids at once. “What a special experience.”

This story was originally published November 2, 2016 at 10:22 AM with the headline "Cambria kids get plenty of treats for Halloween."