What is the future of Halloweentown? Will 13 Nights on the River be held at its traditional Columbia View Park location next year?
These are issues that have been gnawing in the thoughts of many in St. Helens as the city made the transition in events contracting from Tina Curry, of E2C, to Treadway Events & Entertainment .
City administrator John Walsh said the contract has been signed, making the transition official.
Asked if Halloweentown will look different in 2024, as a result in the change in event coordinators, Walsh said work is on the table to get the annual event in place.
“The city has been meeting regularly with Treadway representatives in anticipation of having a contract and beginning work on the Halloweentown events," Walsh said.
Meanwhile, City Councilor Jessica Chilton said she is confident Halloweentown will be held this year — though it may look a little different than in years past.
“We are hoping to really grow Halloweentown,” Chilton said. “I think this year, with the construction going on, and changing hands, I think that there is going to be a little bit of bumpiness, but we are still expecting to have Halloweentown, to some capacity, this year.”
To that effect, Chilton said Treadway is already making strides to figure out just what the community is hoping to see at Halloweentown.
“I’ve been telling everybody to look forward to the following years, because I really think Treadway is going to hit this one over the fence," she said. "I think it’s going to be a really successful program in the future, with new ideas and a fresh take. I already know that they are out there meeting community members and talking with businesses about what they want to see. That’s already five steps ahead of what we had before.”
As to the cost of Treadway’s services, Walsh said Treadway’s annual compensation will be $191,600 paid in equal monthly installments. He said the funds will come from a combination of event revenues, sponsorships and city tourism funds.
“The contract is going to be more than what we’ve paid in the past,” Chilton said, noting that with a fresh perspective and more diligent monetary tracking resources, “we’re hoping that it won’t be any problem at all for them to make above and beyond what the contract is going to pay and bring more business revenue to downtown.”
Chilton said audits will be conducted as part of the new tourism arrangement.
“Yes, they will be having audits,” Chilton said. “All of the accounts that they will be utilizing for ticket sales and stuff will also be going through the city finance department, which is new. It’s a change in how we previously ran tourism and Halloweentown.
"I think it’s a much-needed change, and I think that it will ease everybody’s minds about what’s going on with the money.”
Former event contractor Tina Curry sparked a lot of talk at city council meetings over the last few years, with some highly critical of her tourism services and others praising her for building Halloweentown into a huge event, attracting tourists from throughout the world.
Chilton said there’s a lot to be said about the prior growth in Halloweentown.
“Tina should definitely be applauded for her work and E2C’s work with growing the event,” she said. “I think that we have just kind of grown out of that and we’re ready for the next new contractor to take over.”
Chilton is also confident 13 Nights will return to Columbia View Park after this year. It has been held at McCormick Park throughout the summer due to ongoing redevelopment in the Riverfront District along the Columbia River.
“We’re planning on it going back to the river,” she said. “I know there has been some feedback about people liking it at McCormick Park. But I think our heart is really with having it on the river and having it downtown with this new beautiful area that’s all being developed … 13 Nights is not going anywhere, Halloweentown is not going anywhere.”
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