This past October marked the first annual Haddyween, a month-long event that took place in Haddonfield, New Jersey. From the dates of October 10th to October 31st, many South Jersey residents took place in fun activities to celebrate the event.

Haddyween was started to provide a fun, yet safe way to enjoy Halloween after the recent outbreak of the Coronavirus. The event got its name from Haddonfield’s most famous discovery: the hadrosaurus foulkii. Unearthed in 1838 in Haddonfield, the hadrosaurus foulkii became the first ever mounted dinosaur skeleton. In 1991, the hadrosaurus foulkii was made the official state dinosaur of New Jersey.

Haddonfield residents and visitors participated in many fun activities to celebrate Haddyween. Kicking off the first day of this event, on October 10th, residents could pick up supplies to make a scarecrow at the Haddonfield Farmers Market. Residents enjoyed making their scarecrows and displaying them in front of their homes, where other town residents could view them. Another event that took place in Haddonfield as part of the Haddyween event was a scavenger hunt. Residents who chose to take part in this event picked up information and materials for the scavenger hunt at the Haddonfield Farmers Market. The scavenger hunt was a huge hit for many families and residents. To celebrate the historic aspect behind the Haddyween event, John Giannotti, the artist of the hadrosaurus foulkii sculpture, shared the story of the hadrosaurus foulkii on October 31st in front of the bronze sculpture. Many residents came to tune in and learn about the discovery that gave this event its name.

The main event of the Haddyween event was the window display contest. Many stores participated in the contest, filling their windows with Halloween themed scenes. Residents and visitors could participate in the contest, too, by voting for their favorite design between October 16th to November 1st. The winner of the contest was announced to be the Norris Barber Company. Sheena Norris, co-owner of the Norris Barber Company, said, “Our design was inspired by a circus theme and our love for Halloween.” She agreed that the window display contest was a fun and safe way to celebrate Halloween, despite recent circumstances, and believes that this event will be an annual tradition that will continue over the years.