Burl Willes ~ February 8, 2008 ~ continued

 

By 1990, the word had spread about "Halloween on Russell Street," and children poured into the street on the "big night." The year after, the street was closed to car traffic between 5:30pm and 9 p.m. when the lights were turned off for the night. A local band of musicians strolled up and down the closed street the next year, and people of all ages gathered in costume and danced to the music. Many were grandparents of the "trick or treaters" who seemed to be having as much fun as the youngsters! A few newspaper articles in the ensuing years increased the number of visitors. The Berkeley police were only too happy to provide a car and officer at each end of the closed street. Because of the early closing hour, 8:30 or 9 p.m. depending on the year and change to daylight savings, there have been no unpleasant actions....only good fun and much appreciation for the Russell Street residents who work each year to provide this happy Halloween event.

 

Decorations

Each year the theme and decorations along the street are totally new and different. One home owner has a crew of friends (carpenters electrician, artists) to give him a hand for the week before Halloween. But aside from this one house, all the others are decorated soley by the occupants.

For past Halloweens, one house used a child's jungle-gym to create a flying saucer with aliens landing. With special lighting, the "saucer" looked as if it were hovering above ground, and the one-eyed aliens (about 3 feet tall) were "already in costume".

Other decorations included a giant "Venus flytrap" which was so large that it held a
life-size man in its grip; a humongous spiderweb that covered a two story dwelling; a shipwreck with an underwater scene of deepsea monsters and a buried treasure; the ghosts of past rock musicians; and a scene from Shakespeare's Macbeth of witches churning a huge pot over a flame. The decorations on Russell Street\ never cease to thrill and amaze those who come to "trick-or-treat" or just to "soak up the wonderful Halloween spirit".

 

Conclusion

The Halloween event is still going strong on Russell Street. In 2007, approximately 3,000 trick -or -treaters and an equal number of parents, grandparents, and just plain visitors, paraded down the street to view the festive and creative decorations. If you happen to be in the area in 2008, you are welcome to visit.. public transportation, BART and AC Transit are close-by and it is only one block up Russell Street from College Avenue where the fun begins. Happy Halloween!

 

 

Burl Willes (Burl Willes is a Russell Street resident and the author of Tales from the Elmwood: A Community Memory. His book won the California Governor's Award for Historic Preservation in 2001).