Downtown Foley will soon be buzzing with excitement as thousands of costumed children and their families hit the streets for the city's annual Hometown Halloween celebration on Thursday, Oct. 24.

The long-standing tradition, now in its 20th year, offers an evening of family-friendly activities from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Hometown Halloween is a collaborative effort between the City of Foley, local businesses, churches and community organizations, creating a safe and entertaining environment for children to enjoy Halloween festivities.

Organizations and merchants are invited to take part in the celebration by setting up activity booths and handing out treats. Applications for booth participation are open until Oct. 21. Booths will compete in a decoration contest, judged on creativity, with the winning group receiving a special prize basket and having their booth featured on the city's website.

The event will feature a variety of activities for all ages, including a costume contest, inflatable jump houses, obstacle courses, food concessions, face painting, a balloon artist and gift card giveaways. The costume contest remains one of the highlights of the evening, with children's outfits judged for their creativity and originality.

For added safety, portions of downtown streets — including South Alston Street, Orange Avenue and East Laurel Avenue — will be closed to traffic. Foley police officers and firefighters will be on-site, and extra lighting will be set up to ensure a secure trick-or-treating experience.

Those interested in more details or in setting up a booth can contact the city at (251) 943-1200 or visit the event website at https://VisitFoley.com.