Welcome back, witches

SANDUSKY — Hundreds of people dressed as witches flooded downtown Sandusky Saturday evening for the 12th annual Witches' Walk. Starting at 6:30 p.m., the witches marched down Columbus Avenue from Washington Row to Schade-Mylander Plaza. Witches' Walk staff are still calculating an exact total but announced a new record attendance with well over 1,000 people participating, according to Cora Higgins, an event coordinator. Witch Supreme Cora Higgins cast a spell over the fountain, which served as a cauldron, to officially open the event. Sandusky Witches' Walk began in 2011 as a reason "to dress up as witches and bring business to the downtown area on an otherwise hum-drum Wednesday night," according to the event's website. The event eventually evolved into a fundraiser that raised more than $50,000 over the years for numerous local nonprofits. In early April, Donna Bretz, the event's founder, announced she was stepping down as main coordinator. "I just decided that someone new could be stirring the cauldron from now on," Bretz said. "From the beginning, I have always said I would have a time limit, and that has come. Now it's time to focus on some other things." The team that took over coordinating the event moved it to a Saturday this year. New this year was a costume contest, a raffle featuring a $2,500 prize, shuttle busses and a DJ at the plaza.