This year, Paul and I had two unexpected Halloween parties in Santa Cruz.
Two Friday evenings ago on October 23, we saw a string of costumed pedestrians marching along Chanticleer Avenue. "Is it too early for Halloween?" we asked each other. "Must be Sheriff's Halloween party," the realization dawned on us. We had chanced upon it the year before in the spacious parking lot of Sheriff's Department, and ended up having such a fun time, begging for candies on behalf our grandchildren.
This year's party was much larger in terms of venues. Instead of a sole host department, the whole county government agencies seemed to turn out, such as Fire, Police, Public Defenders, Public Health, Superior Court, etc. The only one missing are libraries, both law and public. More than a dozen of food vendors were admitted, adding lighting and excitement to the party. This year's party had no age discrimination. We did not have to beg for children, because we were all Halloweeners! Besides homo sapiens party goers and organizers, there were two robots joining us, one was a greeter, and the other, a Sheriff DJ.
Late last Friday afternoon, we managed to encounter another surprise on West Cliff in Santa Cruz. Walking our usual walk toward Woodrow Avenue, we saw more and more black attired people, both men and women, strolling passing us. They were all donning black capes and pointed hats, with or without brooms. Somehow, they stopped and gathered at the Mark Abbott Lighthouse. We did not give a second thought to the black gathering, since it was Halloween every day in Santa Cruz, and the lighthouse was a magnate to all. We were not enlightened until our friend Jim Sullivan turned up with an unfamiliar woman in black, and imparted an announcement that there would be a witch walk. Since the information was scanty and destination unknown, we continued and completed our Friday walk. Once we returned to the Lighthouse, all hell came loose, with torrents of black witches and warlocks walking endlessly towards us. Paul took as many pictures as he could, while I videotaped 12 one-minute clips.
Instead of being miserably persecuted primarily during during the early modern period of 1400 to 1750 through community scapegoating for crises, religious demonology, torture and legal execution, Witches of Santa Cruz proudly paraded themselves, their partners or children. Originated in 2020, by Jenny Sandrof and her friends at Wilder Bluffs, the WestEdge Witch Walk has become a joyous event drawing over 1,000 participants alone last Friday.
