Witches Bring Magic To Macomb
By Tracey Moro
Did you know there are a certain amount of magical ladies in our county who each Halloween season plan to dress up like a Witch? They gather together with their friends in their wide-brimmed black pointed hats, black printed tights, black skirts, some with the occasional broomstick. Some gather for shopping, some for paddleboarding, others just to celebrate the season and then there are those who want to break records.
Lynn Anderson, of Clinton Township, is usually dressing up in historical clothing, posing with her 1965 Volkswagen Bug. Do you remember her from Macomb Now’s story on Fashion & the Automobile? But each fall during Halloween season you’ll find Lynn dressed up in a costume, including when she attends Witches Night Out in the Clem.
“I love attending Witches Night Out in the Clem,” said Anderson. “The camaraderie is fantastic – all of us are strangers at first, but fast friends before the night is out! We dress up, we eat, we shop, and we dance to ‘Schüttel deinen Speck’! It’s so much fun!”
The Witches Night Out event has been taking place in Mount Clemens for more than five years. Manuela Koziarz, owner of the Nest Collaborative in downtown, is the current brains behind the shopping crawl event, happening this year on Thursday, October 23. She works for months to organize the participating businesses in downtown Mount Clemens.
“Every year I try to add something new to it,” said Koziarz. “Last year we had over 2,000 women attend. The participating stores offer specials and we have a Witches hat contest each year that is very popular, plus last year we had a hat bar where you could make your own hat.”
Over in downtown Romeo, Halloween fun has expanded beyond the famed Tilson Street. This year, Witches and Warlocks of all ages are being invited to downtown on October 25 for the Witches & Warlocks Return to Romeo event and this one has a big purpose. Romeo hopes” “the state and continue to draw visitors that help our economic growth in downtown,” Pochert continued. “At the DDA, we encounter some very difficult tasks and heavy projects, but everyone agrees, this is the good stuff!”” to break the record of the most Witches in one spot, which currently is 1,607, held by Spain. “That is a number we can beat,” said Kay Pochert, executive director of the Romeo Downtown District Association.
With the Romeo DDA annual trick or treating event starting at 11 a.m. that day, families are expected to already be in town. School dance teams will be competing for best performance of “Thriller” on Main Street to open the Witch event. Downtown retailers and restaurants will run specials and there will be vendor tables street side, along with magicians and broom relays in the park.
“The DDA decided to limit our event organizing to a handful of events where there was already an audience and make it even bigger,” said Pochert.
To get in on the fun, Witches must be wearing official Witch attire including a pointed hat, cloak/dress and broom. You can register for the record count for free between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the event. But the counting begins at 4 p.m. with a drone flying over to record the crowd. There will also be best dressed contests and prizes.
“Romeo is already a destination for so many during the fall months. Events like this one promote our town to a wider audience across the state and continue to draw visitors that help our economic growth in downtown,” Pochert continued. “At the DDA, we encounter some very diffi cult tasks and heavy projects, but everyone agrees, this is the good stuff!”
You’ll find more than just Witches in Clinton Township this year at the Premier Event Center where the Michigan Witches Bazaar & Ball will be hosted October 25.
What started out as a Pagan Prom is still a fancy occasion where costumes are encouraged and many dress to impress. There’s magic, dancing and lots of spirits – yes cocktails too. It’s a not-for-profit event intended to foster tolerance during the Samhain season, which is a Gaelic festival, marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, or the “darker half” of the year, in Celtic tradition.
Heading east on your broomstick you’ll find more witches in New Baltimore. The Witch Walk throughout downtown New Baltimore, held for years by the Anchor Bay Chamber, is now being coordinated by the city Parks & Recreation department. This year’s event on October 4 will engage the downtown community once again in hopes of bringing lots of Witches ready to shop downtown.
As a separate event, also in New Baltimore at the Pink House, owner Jennifer Colombo has been hosting a Witches’ Dinner & Dance with lots of sweet treats like pumpkin scones and apple cider for years and plans for this year are being made as we go to print.
And finally in St. Clair Shores there is no shortage of wonderful Witches there. Kimberly McCollum-Orzechowski, who lives on Milner Street off Jefferson just south of 11 Mile Road has been boasting on social media for years, inviting residents and trick or treaters to come see the Good Witch in 2022, the Grey Witch in 2023 and this year she’ll be a Witch again for her 29th time.
“The year I turned 13, my mother began work on my Witch’s cape, carefully sewing stars and moon phase appliqué on a sheer black and gold fabric she had found in at the craft store. She remarked that going forward, I would be able to see the magic around us more easily,” said McCollum-Orzechowski.
That October Kimberly saw what her mother meant by magic and she’s been hooked ever since. “There’s something so special about neighbors opening their doors, passing treats, and admiring costumes, making small talk with neighbors.” Kimberly, like many in the Shores, has a fire pit in the driveway for all to enjoy on Halloween.
“Sharing my love for Witches, magic, and practicing with the neighborhood came as second nature. A few of our neighbors had already remarked that they follow the moon cycles, feel when energy shifts in their home, see the possibility in manifestation, and above all else, see the magic that is possible in every day. As Ronald Dahl said, ‘Those who don’t believe in magic, will never find it.’ My hope is that in sharing my magic, others will be able to find and see their own.”
We’ve seen and heard from Witches all over our county and know there are probably more magical events that we don’t know about, but we cannot leave out those lovely ladies who magically go paddleboarding each fall donned in Witch attire.
“I created the Witches Paddle event as a fun and spirited way to bring the paddleboarding community together while celebrating the changing of the seasons,” said Julie Miller. She host the event in early September (8th), when the air turns crisp and the energy shifts— “perfect for some playful magic on the water.” Julie owns Uplift Adventure Retreats and specializes in paddleboard adventures on Lake St. Clair. She hosts other fun dress up events too, including a Wreck the Dress paddle.
For the Witches Paddle, participants wear Witchy costumes, paddle in unity along the Clinton River, ending at Bumpers Landing in Harrison Township. Participants get to embrace nature, with a little bit of whimsy. “It’s not just about the costumes—it’s about community, laughter and celebrating the outdoors in a unique and unforgettable way,” said Miller.
