Tapley's Farm is counting down the days until the return of Whistler’s longest-running free community event.
On Oct. 31, upwards of 1,000 trick-or-treaters are expected in the neighbourhood to take part in a tradition going strong since 1983. In its 41st year, the event honours children’s creative spirit and recognizes local community food needs, with attendees asked to donate money or non-perishables to the Whistler Food Bank through the Scare Hunger Campaign.
Tapley’s resident and long-time co-organizer Shauna Hardy said the night takes a village to pull off.
“We have 80 houses in Tapley’s Farm; we have a minimum of 50 per cent participating. We hand out about 50,000 pieces of candy, which is crazy. We usually collect about 15,000 pieces from local donations and the neighbourhood supplements the rest,” she said.
Local grocery stores accept community donations for the neighbourhood, and the event is promoted throughout schools and daycares. Considering each participating house in the neighbourhood averages about 1,000 pieces of candy for kids, all donations help.
“It’s really by the community for the community,” Hardy said.
Trick or Treat at Tapley's Farm
Trick or treating starts runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) and RCMP close traffic to the neighbourhood at 4 p.m. for safety. Since parking is limited, there’s the free “Park and Spook” shuttle, organized by Fastpark and supported by BC Transit and the RMOW. Shuttles take off from Marketplace at 5:07 p.m. and run until 8:25 p.m.
Marketplace has free parking from 5 to 9 p.m.
Eventually, the treats come to a bittersweet end as houses run out of candy. Supplies usually run dry by 7:30 p.m., Hardy said, when the fireworks show starts in the Myrtle Philip Community School fields.
Nesters Market sponsors fireworks, with the Whistler Fire Rescue Service ensuring they go off safely.
According to Hardy, residents take decorating “quite seriously.”
“One house does an absolutely unbelievable pumpkin display. They have about 40 pumpkins carved,” she said. “Adults connect with other community members and kids really see that Whistler’s spirit is alive and well at Tapley’s Farm.”
Last year also saw a black bear and a grizzly bear in the neighbourhood, which conservation officers relocated. The grizzly bear made a re-appearance on the auspicious evening, according to Hardy, who jokingly said, “They’re not invited this year.”
“It was a bit dramatic. Halloween went ahead, and I’m pretty sure the fireworks scared the bear away.”
Last year, Tapley's collected approximately $4,000 and 500 pounds of non-perishable food items, which went to food security programs at the Whistler Community Services Society-run (WCSS) food bank. Whistler Secondary School Leadership Team members will also be on hand Oct. 31 to accept donations.
In a previous interview with Pique, WCSS said cash-in-hand is particularly useful for WCSS, as the society has larger purchasing power than the average consumer and can make donations go further.
At its AGM in September, WCSS said donations and access have increased. Food bank use for the past financial year was up 34 per cent, and in the first four months of 2024, WCSS served almost three times the number of clients that they did during COVID.
Monetary donations are accepted online and at the event.
