Witches Night Out Proceeds Despite Rain and Misinformation

Despite steady rain and misleading social media claims of cancellation, Lebanon’s 23rd annual Witches Night Out proceeded as planned on Saturday, October 18, drawing approximately 75 to 100 attendees to the community’s beloved fall tradition.

Event organizer AJ Dontigney acknowledged the turnout was smaller than typical years but remained positive given the challenging circumstances. “That’s quite a bit smaller than usual, but for the weather, I think that’s a pretty good amount,” she said.

Participants strolled along Lebanon’s historic Brick Street, visiting downtown businesses and participating in festivities that included a multi-category costume contest featuring awards for Best Cackle, Best Accessory, Best Overall Costume, and Best Coven. The Lebanon Woman’s Club operated a donation-based photo booth at the Visitor’s Center, which successfully raised over $100 for local scholarships and community initiatives despite the inclement weather.

Abby Murphy, a Lebanon Woman’s Club volunteer who served as co-chair for this year’s event, expressed pleasant surprise at the turnout. “I was pleasantly surprised at the number of people that braved the rain and came out for a fun night,” Murphy said. “We had about 40 witches come through to get their picture taken. They were all in great moods and so happy to be out.”

The event’s regional appeal was evident as attendees traveled significant distances to participate. Murphy noted, “One woman came from Ohio and makes plans to come to the area every year for this event, and the winner of the Woman’s Club 50/50 drawing was from Indiana.”

In her expanded role this year, Murphy supported Dontigney with various aspects of event planning and execution. “I support AJ in whatever she needs,” she explained. “I help answer questions on the Facebook page, work on flyers, and brainstorm new ideas. This year I was more of a co-chair than helper.”

The event faced multiple challenges beyond just the persistent rain. Dontigney reported that misleading social media posts falsely announcing a cancellation created confusion among potential attendees. “Some places that had nothing to do with us were posting that Witches Night Out was canceled,” she said. “Just one business made eleven posts in different groups saying it was off, and I only caught three of them.”

While Dontigney doesn’t believe the misinformation was malicious, she acknowledged it likely contributed to the reduced attendance figures.

A minor safety concern arose when a driver ignored barricades and drove through caution tape that had been placed along Brick Street. “The tape got caught on their car,” Dontigney recounted. “Luckily, no one was hurt.”

Despite these setbacks, both organizers maintained that the event achieved success through the collaborative efforts of volunteers, business owners, and city staff. “Events like this don’t happen without a lot of people working behind the scenes,” Dontigney emphasized. “Even with everything going wrong, we still pulled off a successful night.”

Murphy echoed this sentiment, particularly highlighting Dontigney’s dedication. “This event would not happen without her. She works tirelessly to make sure everything goes off without a hitch.”

Some planned entertainment elements, including performances by the Cadence Cloggers and a flash mob, were canceled due to weather concerns. However, Dontigney defended her decision to proceed with the event despite calls for cancellation. “I know some people thought I should have canceled, but I watched the weather closely,” she said. “We have people who come from out of state, and it’s nearly impossible to reschedule. We were able to make something of it.”

Looking ahead, planning for next year’s event is already underway. For those interested in commemorating this year’s gathering, a limited number of Witches Night Out T-shirts remain available for purchase through the event’s Facebook page.