I've never been much of a Halloween fan. My childhood memories of October 31st remind me of mischievous kids smashing my pumpkins and egging my house; that always gave me a bad taste for the holiday. So, it was with a bit of hesitancy that I joined some friends last weekend to tour the town and take in the festivities.
On our walk, we found that many of the parking meters had been transformed into straw personalities. Imagine for a second, a scarecrow meets Barbara Eden...
Or, picture a Daryl Hannah scarecrow from the movie, Splash...
Or, just a scarecrow to make a point- "Adopt a rescue dog."
Only in Chestertown can you find such creativity and quirkiness! Unfortunately, there was no "George" scarecrow to be found. Maybe next year...
It just so happened that Downrigging Weekend, an event where numerous tall ships sail into C'town, coincided with Halloween this year. While the parking meter personalities were captivating, I made a point to walk to the end of High Street and take a gander at these magnificent ships.
Even though the rain flooded parts of the waterfront, making close encounters with these boats difficult, I was able to snag a shot of Captain Tom Briggs '99 hard at work on Echo Hill's boat, Annie D.
That evening, my friends and I gathered with the College community and town residents along the water to see the ships illuminated with theatrical lighting and the fireworks exploding behind them. I grabbed a cup of hot cider, courtesy of the C.V. Starr Center, and shared the moment with my WC family.
It was a lovely night with a real feeling of community. Despite its distracting beauty and oddity, the essence of what I think makes Chestertown so amazing is the kindness and trueness of its people.
For once, no one smashed my pumpkins or egged my house. I think I very much like Halloween, Chestertown Style.
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