Kansas City Streetcar Celebrates the Witching Hour–After Nap Time

By Kim Mueller

Halloween came early Wednesday when the Kansas City Streetcar Authority began celebrating the holiday after lunch by handing out treats to little riders.

This year’s festivities marked the second time the authority offered trick or treating on the streetcars.

However, unlike last year’s event held during the lunch hour, this year’s celebration took place from 1:30 to 2:30 pm to coordinate with nap times at Spectrum Station Early Learning and Child Care Center.

The child care center is located in Commerce Tower  on the streetcar line.

When Rowan Young heard his preschool would attend this year’s event, the five year-old joined them even though it was his day off from school.

Wednesday marked the first time that Rowan and his three year-old sister Ridley went trick or treating.

“I don’t know of anyone else that does trick or treating downtown.” said their mother Sidney Young who lives at Wallstreet Tower condominiums, 1101 Walnut St.

Sidney Young escorts her T-Rex son Rowan and daughter Ridley aboard the streetcar Halloween express. (Photo by Kim Mueller)

Dressed in a blow-up T-Rex costume, Rowan waited in Commerce Tower lobby for his classmates to wake up from their naps downstairs.

Meanwhile, Rowan’s sister chased him around the lobby, trying to tip him over. Suddenly, she succeeded.

Young watched as the T-Rex suit deflated around her son moments before the streetcar arrived.

“And this is another reason to get out of the house and enjoy this nice weather while we still have it,” Young added.

Spectrum Station’s 11 preschoolers had been waiting all week for this field trip, said teacher Mel Cohoon. Many of the students also live in the area and are experienced riders.

“Oh look, it’s Streetcar Sandy,” Cohoon announced to her students as their favorite driver pulled up to the Library stop.

“She is awesome. The people are always super nice on the streetcar and the drivers love our kids.”

But not all riders were experts.

Matt Goodman took his first trip on the streetcar Wednesday so he and his wife Rachel could watch their three year-old daughter Elliott enjoy riding in her dashing red pirate costume.

Jon Cavanaugh-Spain traveled from Los Angeles to visit his daughter, Vanessa McCarron, and his grand-daughters Owsin, four, and Evelyn, 12.

Pre-school trick-or-treaters from Spectrum Station eagerly await the streetcar. (Photo by Kim Mueller)

The family left McCarron’s Lenexa home with plans to visit downtown. They were happily surprised when streetcar authority staff members started handing out goodies.

“Halloween is the most wonderful time of the year and they made it so much fun,” Cavanaugh-Spain said. “They did their due diligence.”

Streetcar Authority office manager Ebony Jackson agreed.

“I’m almost out of candy,” Jackson said as she peered into her tote bag previously filled with sweet treats as well as stickers and streetcar replicas. The one-hour event still had another 30 minutes to go, but the coveted toy trains were long gone.

Jackson said last year the authority had candy leftover. Halloween service was disrupted after a car blocked the tracks, forcing staffers s to walk the route rather than ride the streetcars as planned.

“We couldn’t give it all away. But it’s been great this year.”

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