Vestavia Hills is getting its own Witches Ride for the first time this Halloween, with costumed cyclists, golf carts and walkers set to roll out at noon on Saturday, Oct. 31. The inaugural event brings the Birmingham area's beloved witches-on-wheels tradition to a new community, joining a growing list of neighborhoods that turn Halloween into a parade of capes, broomsticks and candy tosses.
Participants are asked to gather at 11:15 a.m. near the Vestavia Hills Police Station at Old Orchard Road and Mayland Lane, according to Vestavia Voice. The ride itself kicks off at noon and is open to anyone on bicycles, registered golf carts or on foot, making it accessible to families who want to join without a two-wheeled commitment.
Costumes, Candy and a Few Ground Rules
Organizers are encouraging riders to decorate their bikes or carts, dress in costume and bring candy to toss to children and neighbors along the route, the outlet reports. The event will include prizes in categories such as best witch and best decorated ride, along with music and other Halloween activities woven into the afternoon. Anyone driving in is asked to park at Vestavia Pediatrics before walking over to the gathering point near the police station, rather than parking directly at the meetup site.
Candy tossing has become something of a signature move for these rides across the metro. A 2023 roundup from al.com noted that witches flying on bikes typically toss candy to children along their routes, a tradition that appears to be carrying over into Vestavia Hills' first outing.
Afterparty Caps Off the Ride
Once the ride wraps, an afterparty will be held at the Golsons' home on Old Orchard Road, featuring a food truck, games and additional prizes, per the same report. Those interested in joining can register through the event's online Google form, though specifics on registration fees or age requirements for the Vestavia Hills ride were not detailed in the announcement.
Part of a Bigger Birmingham Tradition
Vestavia Hills joins a cluster of similar events that have become fixtures of Halloween weekend around Birmingham. The fourth annual Cahaba Heights Witches Ride gathered riders at the ball fields behind Cahaba Heights Elementary School on Oct. 24, with proceeds benefiting Down Syndrome Alabama and an afterparty running from 4 to 7 p.m. at Heights Village, according to Vestavia Voice. That event has historically required riders to be at least 18 years old and register individually for $35, per earlier coverage from al.com.
Homewood's long-running version, now in its 14th year, rolled out Oct. 25 with hundreds of costumed cyclists tossing candy to spectators after a free afternoon festival featuring inflatables, a costume contest and food trucks, as Hoodline reported. That ride traces back to 2012, when Janie Ford Mayer organized a small neighborhood ride to honor her late mother, and it now raises money for cancer research through UAB's O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Other area rides carry their own causes, too. Liberty Park's golf-cart version also benefits the O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, while Bluff Park's ride supports local children's literacy initiatives, according to Hoodline's reporting. Whether Vestavia Hills' first ride will adopt a charitable beneficiary of its own was not addressed in the announcement, but the debut event looks set to carry forward the costumed, candy-flinging spirit that has made these rides a Halloween staple across the metro.
