Summerside's Witches on Water Street victim of its own success

An annual event that's bewitched the city of Summerside won't be happening this year because it's gotten too successful.

In previous years, hundreds of costumed kids would attend Witches on Water Street in the P.E.I. city, where they could trick-or-treat along the downtown street and get candy from participating businesses.

But the spooky celebration has now become a victim of its own success.

Lydia Potter, the executive director of Downtown Summerside, said the festival is putting financial strain on businesses in the area.

"The event has grown, and grown, and grown, and for a lot of the businesses, the cost for them to buy the candy for the event cost them upwards of $500," she said.

"And for a lot of businesses, that's a lot to put on them."

Potter said some businesses can't even capitalize off the increased foot traffic.

She said she's heard from restaurants that have had to close down their shops because there were so many children coming in that customers couldn't go in to pick up their food.

"At Downtown Summerside, our job is to improve the business area, and we really want to do things that are going to help the businesses out," Potter said.

About a dozen businesses participated last year, and Potter said a few seemed reluctant.

Planning for next year

She said around 900 children attended the event last year.

Other events like the Taste of Downtown Summerside food festival are different because there's a guarantee that when businesses open their doors, people will come in and spend money, said Potter.

"Whereas this one is like, 'hey, we need you to open your doors, you're going to get a ton of kids, nobody to spend money, and it's going to cost you money, and your regular customers can't come to you,'" she said.

Potter said she's sad Witches on Water Street isn't happening this year, because she had a lot of fun when she went last year, and she knows the kids love it too.

But she said she doesn't want to impose this event on the businesses when it could hurt them financially.

She said Downtown Summerside has plans to create a new Halloween event for next year.

"Hopefully to be able to do something that works for everybody, because Halloween is supposed to be about fun," she said.

"And if it gets imposed on people that's not fun for everybody."

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