This year’s Trunk or Treat Halloween event held Friday at the Robert Crown Community Center featured about 30 vehicles from city departments and local businesses. Cars and trucks were clad in Halloween decorations for residents to enjoy. 

Some vehicles were Barbie-themed, others were Paw Patrol-adorned fire trucks. Children engaged in raffles, trick-or-treated and took photos with the vehicles and city officials. 

Though the city has hosted the event annually, Friday this year was the first the event was hosted at Robert Crown Community Center after an increase in participating vehicles.

Local costume-wearing children and families filled the lot and wandered between cars, trucks and firetrucks. 

“This is the most turnout we’ve had, and I think this has been the best decorated year also,” said Amanda D’Agostino, special events coordinator for the City of Evanston Parks and Recreation Department.

She said the impressive turnout was proof of Evanston’s bounce back from COVID-19, which canceled last year’s Trunk or Treat. This year’s event drew in a large and enthusiastic crowd spanning multiple generations.

Along with city department vehicles, many local businesses decorated their own vehicles and handed out candy to costumed children and city locals, including Goldfish Swim School, Emergency Road Service, Hive Center for the Book Arts and Evanston Latinos.

“We’ll definitely try to do it again next year. Kids are having fun with it, and everybody keeps taking pictures with it. So we’re having a good time,” said Carlos Ramirez, who attended the event with Emergency Road Service.

Ramirez, a first-time event participant, came with a tow truck decorated by his sister, with a scarecrow adorning the roof.

Medill freshman and attendee Ilse Von Heimburg said the Trunk or Treat was a great way to introduce young children to Halloween without the chaos of Halloween night. She said she would have appreciated an event like this as a youngster.

“As someone who was afraid to go out when I was little, especially at night, it was really nice. It’s a good way to meet people too,” she said. “Going made me really nostalgic.”

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