The Gilmer Police Department is getting ready to have their 10th annual “Treats on the Square.”

This year’s event will be on Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31 from 5 to 8 p.m.

As of Thursday, there were 61 businesses or organizations participating with booths that will be set up around the courthouse square in downtown Gilmer, according to coordinator Danielle Hammons, a Gilmer police dispatcher.

Eight other businesses or individuals have made donations to the event.

(A Longview radio station incorrectly stated that the event was tonight.)

“As always, this is our way of offering a safer alternative to our community’s youth on the night of trick or treat, while promoting our downtown merchants, and the Gilmer Police Department’s Community Policing program,” said Mrs. Hammonds, who is coordinating the event.

She said that participating is not limited to businesses and individuals in Gilmer.

“All are welcome to help put on this event,” she said. “Individuals may choose to pass out treats of their choice from their designated Treat Stop Spot,” Mrs. Hammonds said. “Spots will be assigned upon the final count of all parties participating.”

Gilmer Police Chief James Grunden spoke to the Gilmer Kiwanis Club about Treats on the Square Thursday.

He said that when Gilmer police began developing plans for the first festival 10 years ago, they were envisioning “a little harvest festival.”

“As we kicked it around, the idea came up to involve the merchants. They received the idea with enthusiasm,” the chief said.

He said the excitement generated by the Treats festival is shown by the fact that many organizations spend hours assembling their booths, some of which are quite imaginative.

He estimated that about a thousand children attend the festival, but others think it is much more.

“The downtown is full,” he said.

Initually, Grunden said, The idea was to have Treats on the Square on Halloween night. Merchants said that Saturday would work better for them, so the event has traditionally been on the Saturday closest to Halloween. This year, Halloween is on a Saturday night.

He encouraged any who could to donate bags of candy to those having booths at the festival, since it can easily run into lots of money.

He said the police department pools its resources and generally gives out 35 to 40 bags of candy.

He said that when the celebration started, some criticized the department for “promoting Halloween. “We aren’t promoting Halloween. We’re providing a safe alternative,” Grunden said.

There will also be a pumpkin-decorating contest again this year for adults and children.

Grunden said that they didn’t want youngsters working with knives, so they are allowed to draw their designs on pumpkins.

Adults may carve theirs.

For more information, call Mrs. Hammonds at the Police Station at 903-845-5545.