Maple Ridge gearing up to Celebrate the Night

Ghosts and goblins and other spooky creatures will be roaming Memorial Peace Park this Friday for Celebrate the Night.

Celebrate the Night is the City of Maple Ridge’s annual festival celebrating all festivities of the fall season including Halloween, Diwali, and the Moon Festival.

This year the free family event will feature a new Light Up Playground, filled with LED seesaws, swings, and giant jacks.

There will also be a new onsite photo booth to provide lasting memories of the event to participants. And, for the first time, a Halloween Games Alley featuring a witch bowling game and toss a light hoop.

The annual Halloween costume contest will be taking place again with prizes in different categories for best costume: for those six-years and under; those seven to 12-years; those 13 years and over; best group costume; and best overall costume. Homemade, light-up, or innovated costumes are being encouraged.

Winners will receive a prize package including tickets to HOWL at the ACT Art Centre at 3 p.m. on Oct. 30.

Those interested must gather in front of the ACT Arts Centre at 6:15 p.m. and find a staff member or volunteer – those who do not check in with a staff member or volunteer before the parade begins will not be permitted to enter the Costume Contest and Parade. The costume parade at 6:45 p.m. will start at the ACT and end at the bandstand where judging will take place at around 7 p.m. and awards handed out.

Cornerstone Supernatural will be onsite with their devices that search out the paranormal, and also items and stories about supernatural experiences.

The Secret Lantern Society will be decorating the park, the bandstand, and 224 Street with lights and lanterns, some of which were created at community workshops held a week prior.

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Envision Financial will also be lighting up the park with light cups.

Participants will be able to decorate their own pumpkin with local artist Sandra Salon, which will be contributed to a pumpkin display in the park.

Mind of a Snail, a shadow puppetry duo who specialize in multilayered visual storytelling with handmade projections, will be hosting an area where people will be able to explore and play with shadow and light murals.

There will also be face painting and interactive displays. The Maple Ridge Public Library will be on hand with other fun activities, and participants will also be able to shop for light up items at the ACT Arts Centre.

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Raincity, a Vancouver-based funk band, will be taking to the stage on the bandstand with performances at 6 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. Their influences include Amy Winehouse and Moon Hooch.

Roaming circus performers from NZR Productions will be throughout the park, along with roving performers in intricate owl costumes from Candy Bones Theatre.

Food trucks will also be on site including: Tornado Potato; Little Ooties Mini Donuts; Teriyaki Express; Street Dogs; and REEL Mac and Cheese.

Celebrate the Night 2022 will be taking place from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21 in Memorial Peace Park, downtown Maple Ridge.

For those driving there is paid parking available in the underground lot and surface lots behind the ACT Arts Centre. Limited parking can also be found on streets surrounding the event site.