More than 4,000 people packed into downtown Albany on Saturday for the Palace Theatre's fifth annual safe trick-or-treat event, turning the historic venue into a free haunted house for the afternoon. Families lined up for candy, music and balloon twisters between 4 and 7 p.m., filling the theatre at 19 Clinton Ave. with costumed kids well past its usual showtime crowd.
The turnout of over 4,000 attendees was reported by NEWS10 ABC, which covered the fifth annual event as it unfolded. According to the Palace Theatre, the free event was built around tons of candy, live music from DJ TGIF and balloon twisters, with the venue promising to transform itself for the occasion. The theatre was decked out as a walk-through haunted house designed specifically for children and families, the station's report noted.
Getting the space ready took real work behind the scenes. Palace Theatre staff spent four or five days decorating the building, according to Kevin Johnson, who said dozens of volunteers pitched in to help pull it off, per the same account.
Thousands of Dollars in Donated Candy
None of it would have been possible without a flood of community generosity. Johnson said the theatre received roughly $15,000 to $16,000 worth of donated candy this year, with contributions coming from the community, board members and supporters. Community Bank and Nottingham Financial Group sponsored the event, the theatre's event listing states.
For many parents, the appeal wasn't just the free candy but the sense of safety. Lyniesha Robinson, who brought her son Dominick, said traditional trick-or-treating can be risky and that the Palace Theatre event showed the community coming together in a positive way. Brianna brought her son Jayden to his very first Halloween event altogether, joining the wave of families from across the Capital Region who turned out for the free gathering.
A Different Kind of Halloween Night
Not every attendee was there for the first time. Kylie Ciayoung showed up dressed as a scary girl and said she preferred the Palace Theatre event over going door to door in a traditional trick-or-treat. The evening offered music and plenty of space for attendees to walk around with friends and family, giving the Halloween crowd a sprawling indoor alternative to the typical neighborhood circuit.
