Scary Scarsdale event ready for next instalment

WHAT has grown into possibly Scarsdale’s biggest and most popular community event will take place again late next month.

The annual Halloween ball is scheduled for 7pm on Saturday 25 October at the Scarsdale Town Hall, with a range of activities and attractions for families.

It began as a personal project of hall committee president and general store operator Belinda Koenig about 10 years ago, but has run under the auspices of the hall committee for the past three years.

And according to Ms Koenig, the event is going from strength to strength.

“It gets bigger and better each year,” she said. “Originally I had it as a dance…but last year you couldn’t dance, there were that many people.”

Ms Koenig estimated that the turnout for the 2024 ball was about 150, indicating that it had become one of the town’s most popular social gatherings.

This year, Dracula will be present and available for photos, there will be a coffin, a stall, a children’s corner, a crazy mirror, a fortune teller, and an unlucky dip.

“You never know what you’ll get,” Ms Koenig said of the Halloween version of the dip.

A sausage sizzle will be part of the $5 admission fee (children under three will be free).

“Everyone had such a wonderful time,” Ms Koenig said of last year’s event. “It was incredible; we had wonderful reviews. It was exceptional.”

Ms Koenig said ball attendees are encouraged to dress up in Halloween-themed clothing and are encouraged to take a plate of supper to share.

“I’ve had elderly people dressed up, I’ve had babies dressed up,” she said.

Ms Koenig said many people misunderstand Halloween, thinking it is an American invention.

“But it’s not,” she said. “It’s a pagan ritual.

“It’s (the ball) good harmless fun. We all get dressed up and I’m the Queen of the Witches.

“It’s just a wonderful night out that families can afford.”