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Metchosin Halloween bonfire a spooky success

The annual event takes place at the Metchosin Fire hall
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The Metchosin Fire Hall is host to the largest bonfire in the West Shore on Halloween. (Shalu Mehta/News Staff)

It was a gathering of ghouls and goblins at the Metchosin Fire Hall on Wednesday night.

Skeletons, pirates and many other spooky creatures made their way down to the District’s annual bonfire on Halloween.

It is the largest bonfire in the West Shore.

READ MORE: Colwood neighbourhood spooky house ready to greet trick-or-treaters

The fire, which was lit using a pile of pallets, could be seen from far away on Happy Valley Road. It lit up the night sky as community members sipped on hot chocolate to end off a night of trick-or-treating.

Nicole Abbott and her daughter, Ophelia, went to the bonfire for the first time this year. Ophelia is 10 months old, so this was her first Halloween ever and she went dressed as a tiger.

Abbott has lived in the area for five years but this is the first time she has been to the bonfire herself. She said her daughter is the reason why she went.

“She’s really stoked about everything,” Abbott said about her daughter. “I’ve always seen the pallet castle that they build before hand.”

READ MORE: Bonfire at Fireman’s Park in Oak Bay ‘every kid’s dream’

Gary and Sybil Kangas have lived in Metchosin for 27 years and said they’ve gone to the bonfire many times before. Both of them said it is a fun event to go to on Halloween.

“We like to dress up, we like the community, we like everything,” Gary said.

While the fire was burning outside, kids dressed in various costumes danced inside the fire hall as part of a costume contest.

A large crowd had already gathered by the fire by 7 p.m. Wednesday.

In past years, the event has seen about 600 people enjoying the fire, food, games and community.

The bonfire was scheduled to run until 9:30 p.m. with fireworks starting between 8 and 8:30 p.m.

shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com


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Nicole Abbott and her 10-month-old daughter, Ophelia, came to the Metchosin Fire Hall for the Halloween bonfire. It was Ophelia’s first Halloween and Abbott said she was really enjoying it. (Shalu Mehta/News Staff)