Downtown Latrobe will be under a friendly spell Wednesday evening when the town’s monthly Shop Hop and Night Market welcomes visitors for a Witches Night Out.
Rain or shine, the event is set for 4 to 8 p.m., featuring more than 50 local artisans and food vendors along more than three blocks of Ligonier Street, between Depot Street and Strickler Way.
Visitors are encouraged to get in the spirit by wearing a witch hat or costume and voting for their favorite pumpkin or scarecrow display. Participating downtown merchants will offer specials and some themed activities.
Crafters can create a witch ball, a glass sphere meant to ward off ill fortune, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Eclectique. Tickets cost $18 and are available through the boutique’s Facebook page.
Halloween vendors and tarot and astrology readings will be set up in front of Mangata Massage & Holistic Practices, which also will host a 7 p.m. ODD Talent Show.
Overdose awareness will be highlighted with $5 luminary bags available, in memory of a loved one lost to overdose or in support of a survivor. Proceeds from raffle baskets will benefit Sage’s Army, a local nonprofit that offers support, guidance and resources to those affected by substance use.
The Dancing Witches of Westmoreland County will perform at 6 p.m. in front of Commercial National Bank, at Ligonier and Main streets.
Now in their sixth year, the Dancing Witches appear at events such as Derry Railroad Days and the Ligonier Witches Bike Brigade fundraiser. With brooms at the ready, they perform to tunes such as “Time Warp,” “Thriller” and “I Put A Spell On You.”
In a new dance this year, “We use pots and wooden spoons,” said Amy Kerr of Derry, one of about 30 members in the group.
The Dancing Witches also accept donations — in their cauldron or online — to help animals in area shelters.
“Those donations go to help buy supplies and veterinarian care for those animals,” said Kerr. “There are a lot of shelters, fosters and vets that need a little help. We try to take a small burden off of them so they can focus on the animals.”
