Witches Night Out Flies On Despite Rain and Misinformation

By Zachary Daum
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Despite steady rain and confusion caused by online misinformation, Lebanon’s annual Witches Night Out event went forward as planned on Saturday, October 18. Now in its 23rd year, the event continues to be one of the community’s most recognizable fall traditions.

Organizer AJ Dontigney said attendance was lower than usual, but she was satisfied given the circumstances. “We probably had between 75 and 100 people come out,” Dontigney said. “That’s quite a bit smaller than usual, but for the weather, I think that’s a pretty good amount.”

Attendees visited downtown businesses along Brick Street and took part in several activities, including a costume contest with categories for Best Cackle, Best Accessory, Best Overall Costume, and Best Coven. The Lebanon Woman’s Club hosted a donation-based photo booth at the Visitor’s Center, which raised more than $100 for local scholarships and community initiatives.

“It wasn’t an astronomical amount, but for a rainy night, that’s a pretty good turnout,” Dontigney said.

Volunteer Abby Murphy of the Lebanon Woman’s Club said the turnout exceeded her expectations. “I was pleasantly surprised at the number of people that braved the rain and came out for a fun night,” she 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.”

Murphy noted that Witches Night Out draws visitors from well beyond Lebanon. “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,” she said.

Murphy played a significant role in this year’s planning and logistics, supporting Dontigney with event design, communication, and coordination. “I support AJ in whatever she needs,” Murphy said. “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 other challenges besides the weather. Dontigney said that misleading social media posts falsely announcing a cancellation caused confusion. “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. After the event, I found a few more.”

Dontigney said she does not believe the misinformation was deliberate but that it likely contributed to reduced attendance.

As with most Lebanon brick street events, an issue arose when a driver went around barricades, this time through caution tape along Brick Street. “The tape got caught on their car,” Dontigney said. “Luckily, no one was hurt.”

Despite the challenges, both Dontigney and Murphy said the event remained a success thanks to cooperation from volunteers, business owners, and city staff.

“Events like this don’t happen without a lot of people working behind the scenes,” Dontigney said. “Even with everything going wrong, we still pulled off a successful night.”

Murphy expressed appreciation for the community’s continued support. “Thanks to everyone that came out and to the shops and restaurants that welcomed guests,” she said. “Community involvement is so important to making events like this successful. And a huge thank you and great job to AJ. This event would not happen without her. She works tirelessly to make sure everything goes off without a hitch.”

Some entertainment and planned surprises were canceled due to the weather, including performances by the Cadence Cloggers and a flash mob, but Dontigney said she is already preparing for next year. “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.”

A limited number of Witches Night Out T-shirts remain available through the Witches Night Out Lebanon IL Facebook page.