There are priests, fairies, a puppy and kitten; a family of popcorn, a s’more and a minion.
A microwave cheese bowl made from a basket, a zombie girl who never made it to her casket.
Homemade costumes are all the rage in Bradford.
With a few materials, internet access and a lot of imagination, Bradford locals are ghoulishly gearing up for Halloween night with the combined efforts of parents and their children.
Melissa Conner of Bradford is one such parent who would go to the creative lengths to make sure her kids enjoy Halloween in style — while also saving a few bucks.
“This year I am making my daughter a microwave mac and cheese bowl,” Conner commented on a Facebook. “It consists of a Dollar Tree laundry basket, string and paper towel rolls colored yellow.”
Gail Werner, of Rochester, N.Y., commented that her granddaughter, Alexis, has been sporting homemade Halloween costumes for a few years now.
“My daughter, Kristy, makes our granddaughter’s costumes,” Werner said. “She has been a cat, Blu from the movie ‘Rio’ and Copper from ‘Fox and the Hound.’ All homemade.”
Werner added that this year, Alexis will be wearing yet another homemade costume of a familiar orange cat who hates Mondays — Garfield.
While homemade costumes seem to be in fashion lately around the nation, the city of Bradford’s Dave Rathfon mentioned that he and his family have been doing it for a very long time.
“My wife, Mary Ann, made clown costumes for our kids, John and Karen, back in 1980,” Rathfon said.
Rathfon added that their faces were painted by George Black, a member of Bradford’s Joey Clowns.
A lot of the materials for the homemade costumes come from the Foster Township Goodwill, where locals can find all kinds of materials for costume making. Shelly States, store manager of the local Goodwill, said October is the busiest time of the year for the used clothing store because of the amount of people searching for the right items that will go with their costume ideas.
“We usually prepare ahead of time for this time of month when people are looking to throw things together for a costume for a fair price,” States said. “They go after anything and everything. Overalls, wigs, cowboy hats and more. You name it, they go for it.”
Trick or Treating in Bradford and Foster and Bradford townships will be observed from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Halloween. During those same hours, Trunk or Treat will be held at Grace Lutheran Church on Mechanic Street; that annual event is hosted by Open Arms Community Church of Bradford and Grace Lutheran Church.
