Kent families showed up in their Halloween best Friday for Main Street Kent’s annual Family Friendly Halloween event.

From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., over 30 local businesses, organizations and churches came together to create a downtown trick-or-treat experience.

Businesses opened their doors to hand out candy, tents were set up at Hometown Bank Plaza handing out tricks and treats and a DJ lit up Acorn Alley.

Kent resident Heather Dougherty came with her in-laws, Gary and Linda, and her daughter. She said she came to the event two years ago with her nieces before her baby was born, and it was such a fun time that she had to come back.

The participation of different local businesses was her favorite part of the event.

“There’s been a lot of stores that we probably wouldn’t have gone into other than tonight,” Dougherty said. “We found stuff that we want to come back to.”

Executive director of Main Street Kent, Heather Malarcik, said she sees a lot of enthusiasm from the downtown businesses participating.

“It just really shows that we have all these great locally owned and operated businesses,” Malarcik said. “It helps to establish a real sense of community in Kent.”

Malarcik estimated around 1,000 people at the event and said her favorite part is seeing all the fantastic costumes, calling each one a “real treat.”

“I think there’s more kids dressed up now than there are actually on Halloween,” Dougherty said.

Stephanie Green, who just moved to Kent in June, came to the event for the first time this year. She said it really creates a sense of community with everyone from different ethnicities, races and backgrounds having fun.

The Dougherty family also said they enjoy seeing all kinds of people at the event, especially the multifaceted age groups.

“There’s so much sadness in the world, so much depressing stuff going on,” Green said. “It’s nice to not talk about politics or war or anything and just enjoy the community.”

Lauren Cohen is a beat reporter. Contact her at [email protected].