Mansfield, Texas, resident Aniyah Beachum, 23, displays mix and match press-on nails for a customer during the Spooky Night Market on Oct. 17 at the Arlington City Hall parking lot. The event ran from 5:30 to 10 p.m.
Photo by Brian Chipasha Chishimba
Dinosaurs, witches, goblins and ghouls scared their way through the Spooky Night Market on Saturday at the Arlington City Hall parking lot.
Hosted by Small Business Mercado, the event is meant to bring the community out and give an opportunity to the vendors, who are families and other small business owners trying to build something, said Cristian Berumen, owner and event coordinator for Small Business Mercado.
Before the event was set to officially begin, people were already there. Pet owners, families and more were visiting the stalls, looking to see what the vendors were selling. Piercings, slime, food and clothes were among the offerings from over 60 vendors.
“I’m especially looking forward to the vendors coming up to us at the end of the day, telling us that it went great for them,” Berumen said.
As the crowd continued to grow, people stopped to shop at the vendor tents. Long lines for various food, drink and treat vendors began to form. One thing stood out among the masses: people’s costumes.
Fort Worth resident Hunter Dow, 18, came to the market with her friend. After seeing the Instagram post for the event, they decided to go. Before they went to the market, however, they needed to get costumes.
A dog rests in a stroller accompanied by owner and Pantego, Texas, resident Joe Westrich, 41, during the Spooky Night Market on Oct. 17 at the Arlington City Hall parking lot. The event had flash tattoos, axe throwing and pumpkin painting.
Photo by Brian Chipasha Chishimba
Dow said they went to Spirit Halloween, where they looked for costume pieces that resembled the characters they wanted to go as: Pinkie Pie and Rarity from the show “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.”
Her friend, Denton resident Jessica Hernandez, 18, said the event was crowded but nice.
“I honestly like the environments that it creates,” Hernandez said. “It forms a sense of community.”
As more and more people appeared in the parking lot, walking in from every direction, attendees could see pet owners and their furry friends dressed up, too.
Arlington residents Phil Tamayo, 39, and Amber Wilkinson, 36, dressed up as rangers from “Jurassic Park.” They brought along their dogs, Goose and Ripley, dressed as dinosaurs.
Wilkinson said being able to take the dogs out to events like this, especially as the weather is cooling, is nice. She said Goose is like a velociraptor and Ripley is like a triceratops.
Many families and couples wore matching costumes. People brought scares to match the theme, including Freddy Krueger and the Terrifier. Others wore costumes like a beer cup, Batman and various inflatable costumes like “South Park” characters and dinosaurs.
Dallas resident Soyla Quintanilla, 27, pours a pineapple agua fresca at the Pupuseria La Flor booth during the Spooky Night Market on Oct. 17 at the Arlington City Hall parking lot. The event featured trick-or-treating and local vendors.
Photo by Brian Chipasha Chishimba
Grand Prairie, Texas, resident Sabrina Moses, 36, attended the event with her family. Moses went as a nurse, which was a nod to her job, she said.
While she attends some of the daytime markets in Arlington, she said this was her first time at the night market.
“On social media I always see it, but we never actually came out,” Moses said.
Her mother, Grand Prairie resident Dianne Anderson, 65, said her daughter chose her costume. Inspired by the Day of the Dead, she said, her costume was the “Day of the Living.” This was her first time at the event as well, Anderson said.
Dallas resident Calvin Tasby, 62, another family member of Moses’, wore a costume inspired by “Jeepers Creepers.” In a gray mask and a black, furry coat, he was an intimidating figure, standing out in the crowd. He said “Jeepers Creepers” was one of the scariest movies he’d seen.
“The kids are really interested, you know, they’re having a good time,” he said.
“It’s a very nice event.”
@atclements03