Gather your witches

SANDUSKY — The cauldrons will bubble, there will be trouble, but when witches return to an annual city event this year, they hope their numbers could double. Organizers of a beloved fall tradition, Sandusky Witches' Walk, are bringing the event back for its 14th year this October. There will be some new updates as they continue to fulfill their mission to support local youth and seniors in the community. The Sandusky Witches' Walk is scheduled to take place from 4-10 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18 in downtown Sandusky. Tickets are required and can be purchased at sanduskywitcheswalk.com. Most notably this year, in addition to continuing to raise funds for local initiatives, those donning the witches' hats want to set some world records in the process. What are the changes? Event organizer and Supreme Witch Cora Higgins announced that the event, traditionally restricted to attendees aged 21 and older, will now permit individuals as young as 13 to attend as long as they are accompanied by an adult. "For years, this beloved event was known as a lively, broom-to-bar style pub crawl. But, like any good spell, it has evolved with time," Higgins said. A change occurred, according to Higgins, based on the number of families coming down in prior years to witness the event for themselves. "Welcoming teenagers simply opens the circle wider: more participants, more laughter in the streets, more spells of generosity cast into our beloved town," Higgins said. "Every ticket is a raffle ticket, every cauldron stop is a chance to win, and every dollar raised goes to causes that keep our youth and elders thriving." Despite the changes, a Witches' Walk event aimed at kids will still manifest. Little Witches' Walk, which will take place one week later, on Saturday, Oct. 25, will feature a parade, trick-or-treating and more events geared toward younger witches. Little Witches' Walk is free, and all costumes are welcome. This year, four organizations and events will benefit from Witches' Walk proceeds: • The Kiwanis Club of Sandusky's children literacy program • A year's worth of internet services for Sandusky's youth program at the former Mills Elementary School • The purchase of supplies for next year's Chalk it Up Sandusky • The Erie County Senior Center's Meals on Wheels program Witchy world records Another big change to this year's event is that officials from Guinness World Records will be present as the Sandusky Witches' Walk attempts to set the following two records: • The largest witches' costume contest • The largest witches' dance The largest gathering of people dressed as witches was recorded on Nov. 16, 2013, in Sort, Lleida, Spain, where a coven of 1,607 witches was achieved by La Bruixa d'Or, a lottery retailer, according to Guinness World Records.