On Saturday, October 19th, the town of Lebanon hosted its annual Witches’ Night Out on the historic brick streets as a celebration of the days leading up to Halloween. People of all ages are welcome to attend this event, and costumes are the highlight of the night! The event commenced at 5:00 p.m. and concluded at 9:00 p.m. for an evening of music, contests, food and shopping. Street shops were open throughout the evening, as were outdoor vendors which lined the streets. This was the 22nd year that Lebanon has hosted Witches’ Night Out, and it was held earlier in the month this year in hopes of avoiding the colder weather.
As the night grew darker, more witches joined the gathering. Soon a costumed crowd filled the historic brick street and enjoyed the night’s festivities under the starry sky.Outside the Lebanon Visitors Center was decorated with witchy ghosts and inside was a photo booth with props. Also stationed outside was an info table for the event.The event hosted a raffle, which you could enter at the booths above.Left: one of the event’s photo opportunities included a funeral hearse (complete with a “body” in the back). Right: Madison and Isabella from The Review pose in the hearse.Inside the old Grit & Tonic building, Crystal Clear Connection sold crystals and bracelets and offered classic divination services such as crystal readings, oracle readings and tarot card readings.
The event also featured food vendors for all types of sweet and savory treats!
Perhaps one of the biggest draws of the event was the witchy wares, sold by a variety of vendors.
Among these wares were a range of jewelry and accessories.
There were also plenty of figurines and decorations.
Other vendors sold crafts and crystals perfect for the Halloween season.
This annual witchy gathering offers the perfect opportunity for friends to dress up, hang out and have fun together! It also allows people with similar interests to meet and share their love of the strange and supernatural.
Even furry “familiars” joined in on the fun, donning witch hats and tutus!
At 8:00, all witches and warlocks crowded in front of the DJ booth following an announcement about the upcoming events.
Before the contests began, the crowd was treated to a special fiery performance.“Michael Meyers” joined the dance in the street when his theme song started playing.The fire dancer and Michael Meyers performed an encore together!The first contest judged which witch had the Best Accessory. Contestants stood in a row on the brick street and presented to the judges the accessory they wished to enter.The second contest was the Best Overall Costume.Witches and warlocks lined up and walked around the audience to show off their costumes.
The winner strikes her signature pose! Her costume is insanely detailed, and she and her husband put it together themselves, even creating the staff by hand.
The next contest was the Best Cackle. For this competition, contestants performed their best witch cackle into a microphone. Then judges picked the top contestants and asked them to perform again for a tie-breaker.
Last but not least was the Coven Contest! To enter, the “coven” must consist of three or more members, all dressed up for the occasion. The winning coven was the The Iffy Witches, dressed in a matching Mardi Gras theme.
After the contests ended, the event continued into the evening and ended at 9. It was an enjoyable and highly recommended experience! The 23rd annual Witches’ Night Out will be held next October 2025. We hope you will join us then!
Madison Bonner is currently a freshman at McKendree. She works at the Hett and enjoys being highly involved in clubs and activities. Madison is also a Senator for McKendree's SGA, a member of the Honors Program, and a member of KΣT. Her hobbies include reading, writing, and gaming, as well as creating art and photography. Though she is currently undecided, Madison has a variety of interests and is currently exploring several different subjects before choosing a major. During her time at McKendree, she hopes to make an impact and make the most out of the next four years.
