The importation of the concept of Halloween Night and the American tradition of doorknocking for ‘trick or treat’ has left children keen to participate but parents balking at the idea. Rotary has come to the party by hosting a party to keep kids off the street.

“It came about because people don’t like to have kids knocking on the door,” club president Harry Bolton said.

“This provides somewhere for the kids to dress up and be safe and chaperoned.

“The two we’ve had so far have been quite successful.”

This year proceeds from the night will be donated to Tenterfield Child Care Centre, and Rotary’s chief Halloween Party planner Karen Tapscott said children from the centre are busy creating decorations for Memorial Hall to fit in with the theme.

“We like to choose a different group each year, and give a bit more support to those that we can see are helping themselves,” Mrs Tapscott said.

“The kids there are really excited about being involved.”

There are no age restrictions on the evening but activities will be gauged towards those not yet at school or in primary school. Mrs Tapscott promised lots of tricks and treats, and plenty of giveaways.

“They’ll certainly being going home with more than it cost to enter,” she said.

There will be a DJ to gets the kids moving, and lots of prizes on the dance floor to keep everyone involved.

Features of the barbecue dinner are spooky sausages on ‘mouldy’ bread, and there’ll be plenty of games.

Mr Bolton said Mrs Tapscott and helpers go to a lot of effort to decorate the venue, and to put on a fun evening.

“It’s a ‘nice’ sort of creepy. The kids eat a lot of sugar but they also get a lot of exercise.

“It’s from 5.30 to 7.30pm so it’s not a late night.”

The Rotary Halloween Party is on Monday, October 31 at Tenterfield Memorial Hall.