The ‘Great Hauntway’ was honestly rather incredible

I avoid kids, so who knows what possessed me to attend the ‘Great Hauntway.’ This new-ish Halloween gathering drew thousands to Ocean Beach on Sunday, and I’ve never seen so many families in one place in San Francisco.

It’s touted as the city’s largest annual trick-or-treat event, with candy stations, pumpkin decorating, and a bit of music that stretches from Judah to Taraval Street. I corralled a small posse that hated waking up after the night before; brunch time for the gays is honestly never before 2 p.m. We walked down the quieter, non-sugar station side of the Great Highway with most of us looking like a bunch of tired beatniks, while I was resplendent in Kentucky Derby polka dots.

Along the way we saw many fabulous costumes, team ensembles, and a kid in a tiny Mario Kart vehicle blowing bubbles all along the Great Highway. Mayor London Breed and Sen. Scott Wiener made appearances, too.

The whole vibe felt very peaceful and safe, and it was actually pretty warm and muggy even though Karl the Fog was there. The event ran from 1 to 4 p.m. with a noticeable lack of anything rowdy; No booze in sight and minimal music stations, just a bouncy castle for the little ones. It made me wonder if the event’s popularity was because it wasn’t near the homeless, bars, drug addicts etc. I can’t remember seeing a single police officer on Sunday.

This also gave me some Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes — like we’re socializing in daylight to avoid the demons. I told my friends that even my home in Sunset doesn’t feel safe after dark anymore. One of our writers was brutally assaulted in the Tenderloin not long ago. And my boyfriend is actively trying to move away from the fray at 15th and Mission streets — or as I call it, the corner of Murder and Liquor Store Robbery.

‘Great Hauntway’ was in many ways so uneventful and pleasant that this is just where my mind wandered. The epic turnout made perhaps the best argument to close off a section of the Great Highway. And boy did those campaigners seize that opportunity, pushing out flyers wherever they could in support of Prop K.

We really aren’t political nowadays at The Bold Italic, and I don’t even feel qualified to weigh in on the Great Highway debate because I don’t drive down it. But to my eyes it made a really wonderful park for thousands to enjoy this weekend.

Halloween falls on a weird Thursday this year, so everyone keeps telling me it already happened or it’s still forthcoming. I suspect because Dia de los Muertos comes this Saturday, we may end up with another costume-filled weekend on November 2.

I may not return to the Great Hauntway because as I said, so many kids. But it showed me a different side of San Francisco and a safe alternative for Halloween.

Saul Sugarman is editor in chief of The Bold Italic.

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