Nearly 1,000 witches gather to dance and show off their best costumes in Ohio town
Grab your big hat and broomstick, and don’t forget your cauldron, because something amazing is brewing this Halloween season… the Sandusky Witches’ Walk!
Every year, the wicked witches of Sandusky, Ohio, USA come out of the woodwork to take part in a spooky community tradition full of tricks, treats, dancing, and good eats, alongside a local non-profit raising money for those who need it most.
And this 18 October was the largest gathering yet, as hundreds of participants flew out on their broomsticks to the historic waterfront city on the shores of Lake Erie to take part in the record-breaking festivities.
970 witches took part in the largest witch costume contest to date, while another 727 participants strapped on their pointy shoes to join the largest witches dance in the world.
“Each October, beneath the glow of the moon reflecting upon Lake Erie, the coven of Sandusky Witches’ Walk gathers – not for haunting, but for heart,” said Cora Higgins, AKA “IsaCora”, the Supreme Witch and CEO of Sandusky Witches’ Walk.
“Witches, wanderers, merchants, and dreamers unite under one banner, stirring a potion of community and commerce, for the good of all. For when kindness calls, even the most unlikely souls find themselves dancing together, enchanted by the same spell of charity… and THAT is the real magic!”
Beyond its holiday fun, the event is designed to drive business to local bars, restaurants, and downtown merchants, energizing the night-time economy in Sandusky while benefiting charitable initiatives in support of youth and senior-citizen causes.
The idea was dreamed up by "Grand Witch" Donna Bretz nearly 15 years ago along with a group of 20 local women, who wanted to increase business downtown on an otherwise quiet Wednesday night during the off-season in the coastal tourist town.
“So they dressed as witches and visited the businesses,” said Cora. “It grew from there, and they decided to make it mean something, so they started charging a minimal fee and donating the funds to local charities.”
Nowadays, the Witches’ Walk is a popular event, where hundreds of witches gather at the top of the Columbus Avenue and parade to a fountain located right on the edge of Lake Erie.
The fountain is then “magically” turned into a bubbling cauldron by the Supreme Witch, who gives a spooky speech thanking the sponsors and the businesses for taking part, before releasing the witches into the downtown to frolic through stores, enjoy street performers, and start dancing.
“We had so many participants that we needed to cut off in-person sales because it was holding up the start time,” said Cora. “It’s a wonderful problem to have, though!
“And also, can you imagine trying to contain over 1,000 witches in an enclosed area? That took magic in itself!”
After the witches are freed to enjoy the Halloween spirit in downtown Sandusky, attendees can visit stores (“cauldron stops”), the Enchanted Market, and participate in a costume contest. There also is a raffle taking place, for the chance to win a $2,500 (£1,890) grand prize.
Yet of course, the star of the show is undoubtedly the Witches’ Walk, a parade down the town's main road to spooky music while judges for the costume contest lurk about, scouting for winners.
“The Witches’ Walk is a way to connect people with community, increase local commerce, and to raise money for projects and programmes that positively influence the youth of our community and the senior citizens who first paved the way”, said Cora.
And partly because of this event, downtown Sandusky has seen major revitalization in recent years, blending 19th-century architecture with a growing mix of restaurants, bars, and seasonal events that draw both locals and tourists.
The town even hosted another Guinness World Records attempt in September, when the Strongman Champions League visited and Wesley “the Moose” Dewinsky (Canada) claimed a title for the heaviest boat pulled 20 m (upper body).
“We wanted to bring awareness to our event,” said Cora, reflecting on Guinness World Records’ role in the experience. “Since we started to notice a larger following on social media – not just locally, but around the world – we thought that there’s no bigger or better way to do that than to set a Guinness World Records title.
“And we do nothing small at Witches’ Walk. So, we decided if we were going to set one, why not set two?”
Read all about how people express themselves in our Arts and Entertainment section!
Guinness World Records Adjudicator Michael Empric was present for the event, and helped count all the witches walking downtown, and the separate group that participated in the dance.
“It was great to see the reinvigoration of Sandusky, and this really showcased the community’s sense of pride and fun,” he said. Bringing hundreds of residents and visitors downtown, the event showed how a creative local tradition can support charity, engage the public, and boost the city’s economy at the same time.
So congratulations to all the spellbinding witches involved in Sandusky Witches’ Walk – you are Officially Amazing!