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The Halloween bonfire in '29 lit up the neighbourhood

One man raced over to the site in fear that a building was on fire
2023-10-30-museum-sup
A group of Finnish entertainers in costume in South Porcupine.

The Halloween season is upon us! As some may have costumes picked out already, scrambling to throw one together or aren’t planned to dress up, this week’s Remember This looks back on the spooky festivities of the past.  

Parties were held across the city over the years to celebrate Halloween. Events were held for all ages in various halls, schools or outdoor venues. 

The Halloween of 1929 was a big one! Around 3,000 to 4,000 people attended the Kiwanis Halloween Event. It was the second annual event and to celebrate that, they held a bonfire. They also distributed 1,500 candy bags to children in attendance. Everyone came dressed in costume and makeup. Prizes were given out to those who had the best costume. 

The bonfire was big enough that many partygoers said it lit up the whole neighbourhood. One man said he raced over to the site in fear that a building was on fire. They did, however, have a few firemen present to ensure the fire didn’t get out of hand.  

The following year, they held another event with 2,400 in attendance. They showed films at the Timmins skating rink for the children. They also a live band, the Timmins Citizens’ Band. They once again provided prizes for best costume. 

Happy Halloween everyone!

The Timmins Museum: National Exhibition Centre regularly provides TimminsToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past.

Find out more of what the Timmins museum has to offer here and read more Remember This columns here.