Stacy Lopes, center, is flanked by her two sons, Jackson, left, and Hudson, right, as they participate in the Halloween costume contest in Prospect on Friday, Oct. 31. Sol McCormick/Butler Eagle

PROSPECT — From Ghostface from “Scream” to Rumi from “KPop Demon Hunters,” characters new and old came to life to haunt Prospect’s streets on Friday evening, Oct. 31.

In celebration of Halloween, community members gathered at the Prospect Fire Hall on Main Street to hold a Halloween costume contest before scattering through the borough to trick or treat.

Contestants were split into age categories and presented their costumes to a panel of judges who picked the top three costumes in each category to receive a ribbon. Winning costumes included a witch, a handmade porcupine and more.

Parents and children gather in the Prospect Fire Hall to hold a Halloween costume contest on Friday, Oct. 31. Sol McCormick/Butler Eagle

Stacy Lopes brought her family, including her husband, their teenage daughter and two sons who participated. The youngest, Hudson, won a ribbon for his costume of Tow Mater from “Cars.”

“I rushed home from work and I already had her,” Lopes said while gesturing to her daughter. “So then we went and ran up here.”

The family has come to previous costume contests, but had not made it in the past year or two. Lopes said she was glad to have come and was even more grateful for the lack of rain.

“It’s nice that (residents) are having bonfires,” Lopes said. “I’m just glad it wasn’t raining. It’s a great night.”

Prospect Mayor Jim Butler said the borough has been putting on a costume contest for over 20 years and he has participated in each of them. While normally he serves as a judge, he decided to take over as emcee this year.

“At first, the borough was sponsoring it, and we did it behind in the school in the pavilion. At some point, the fire department got involved and we moved it here, which made a lot of sense,” he said.

Kim, left, and Scott Daugherty give out candy outside of their business, Prospect Corner Store, as part of the borough's trick or treat on Friday, Oct. 31. Sol McCormick/Butler Eagle

Butler explained the event serves as a way to show off the best costumes in the borough while connecting residents.

“It gives them a chance to come in and see each other’s kids, because everybody takes off in a lot of different directions out there,” he said.

After the contest, Butler walked the streets with some of the borough police to give out candy and connect with residents.

By the time the contest was over, even more people showed up to begin walking the borough, stopping to trick-or-treat at houses, the fire hall and even the Prospect Corner Store.

Tammie Roland stands next to two animated skeleton decorations in her front yard during the Prospect's trick-or-treat on Friday, Oct. 31. Sol McCormick/Butler Eagle

Not far from the fire hall, Tammie Roland was outside her decorated home in her witch costume. Behind her, two motion-detecting animated skeletons played jazz music as they swayed back and forth.

She said Halloween was her favorite holiday “because all witches love Halloween,” and that her favorite aspect of the night is getting to see all of the costumes that children wear.

“I’ve lived here 20 years and this is what I do every Halloween. I love it,” she said.