Easton’s first Witches’ Walk festival to brew up Halloween magic downtown

EASTON, Pa. — Downtown Easton will transform into a magical marketplace later this month as the city hosts its first-ever Witches’ Walk, a two-day Halloween celebration designed to enchant visitors while supporting local businesses.

The idea for the festival, scheduled for October 24th and 25th, emerged from one mother’s annual autumn travels with her 13-year-old daughter to Halloween events in Lambertville, New Jersey, and Sleepy Hollow, New York.

“We were traveling every fall to these places and just wondering, why doesn’t Easton have a festival like this?” said Sarah Hinsch, the event’s organizer, Easton resident, and restaurateur who previously owned Greenmouth Juice Bar & Cafe, an organic lunch spot with locations in Allentown and Easton.

Hinsch initially assumed existing festivals like Garlic Fest and Bacon Fest might prevent another major event. However, after speaking with Jared Mast from the Greater Easton Development Partnership this spring, she learned the main barrier was simply that no one had taken on the challenge.

In collaboration with the Greater Easton Development Partnership, Easton Main Street Initiative, Porter’s Pub, The Loving Peace, and Angel’s House of Design, Hinsch decided to bring her vision to life.

The inaugural festival has already generated significant buzz, with 2,000 people expressing interest on Facebook within a week of Hinsch’s initial post.

“I’m like, oh, God, what have I done?” Hinsch said. “Now I’ve got to make it happen.”

The Witches’ Walk will operate as a whimsical walking festival with different hubs each day. Friday’s festivities will run from 4-9 pm, centered in Center Square, while Saturday’s event will take place from 2-6 pm at Scott Park, following the farmers’ market.

Entertainment will include DJs on both evenings, a magician in performance along the path, and a fire spinner/self-proclaimed sorceress, Sarah DeRemer. Jiva Fitness will coordinate a genuine Witch’s Walk, an authentic German dance, as well as a thriller flash mob. A costume contest will take place on both days.

Saturday afternoon, visitors will witness a unique spectacle as costumed witches take to the Lehigh River on stand-up paddleboards from 2-4 pm, courtesy of Miss Melanie Yoga, with the magical display visible from downtown.

Vendors will include food, crafts, and “witchy wares,” with Vegan Treats confirmed among the participants.

Unlike traditional festivals that concentrate activity in one area of the city, the Witches’ Walk aims to encourage exploration throughout downtown Easton.

“Attendees are encouraged to not only visit the vendors that are coming and see the performers that are coming for this event, but to go to the other restaurants and retailers that make the city go around all year long,” Hinsch explained.

Hinsch hopes to feature a “Witchiest Window Display Contest” at this year’s festival, where participating businesses create Halloween-themed displays in their street-facing windows.

Hinsch is also encouraging retailers to set up outdoor tables and restaurants to offer special Halloween-themed menu items during the festival weekend.

As a solo organizer balancing the festival with her full-time job, Hinsch is working to secure additional sponsors to help cover performer costs.

Local talent and businesses are rallying behind the inaugural event, including DJ Brad Scott, who is performing without charge, entertainment acts offering reduced rates, and graphic designer Erin McParland, who designed the festival branding as a community contribution.

The festival represents Hinsch’s largest event planning undertaking, although she has previously organized fine wine dinners and hosted events for around 200 people during her nearly twenty years in the wine and spirits industry.

For Hinsch and her daughter Collins, who have lived in Easton since Collins was one year old, the festival represents their deep connection to the community and their deep-rooted love for all things Halloween.

“We think of Easton and the Lehigh Valley as our town,” Hinsch said. “It’s been really, really special to us.”

Businesses interested in participating in the window display contest or festival activities can contact Hinsch through the event’s Facebook page. The festival continues seeking sponsors to support performers and activities.

The Witches Walk Festival joins Easton’s calendar of popular downtown events, adding a Halloween celebration to complement the city’s beloved Garlic Fest and Bacon Fest.

For more information, visit the Witches’ Walk website, or “summon” Sarah Hinsch at [email protected].