UTICA (WXYZ) — A Halloween tradition is bringing more than costumes and candy to downtown Utica this weekend.
Nightmare on Auburn Road is expected to draw thousands of people Saturday for a day of Halloween activities, and local business owners say the annual event has become an opportunity to introduce new customers to downtown shops and restaurants.
WATCH: Nightmare on Auburn Road to give downtown Utica businesses a boost
For State Farm owner Alisha Alef, this year's event will be especially meaningful.
For years, Alef operated her business on Sterritt Street, tucked away in a business plaza behind a gas station. This year, she relocated to Auburn Road in the heart of downtown Utica.
"Being local in all the action has been super exciting for us," Alef said.
Ahead of Nightmare on Auburn Road, the front of her business has been decorated from top to bottom for Halloween. Alef said meeting people and becoming part of the downtown community is something her team is passionate about.
The event is now in its fourth year and has become one of downtown Utica's biggest celebrations.
"It's one of the most exciting events in downtown Utica," Mayor Gus Calandrino said.
Auburn Road will be closed for the event, which will feature costume contests, live music, a craft beer tent and trick-or-treating at participating businesses.
For downtown businesses, however, the impact can continue long after the Halloween decorations come down.
"Businesses tell us it's their best day of the year," Connect Macomb CEO Stacy Ziarko said.
Ziarko said thousands of visitors are expected to pack Auburn Road, giving people an opportunity to discover restaurants, stores and other businesses they might not otherwise visit.
She recalled one restaurant having a line until 9:30 p.m. during a previous Nightmare on Auburn Road. She said some visitors have also returned to businesses they first discovered during the event.
That's something Main's Treat Coffeehouse owner Jon Rose has experienced firsthand.
Rose's business wasn't even open when last year's Nightmare on Auburn Road took place, but he said simply being visible during the event helped introduce the coffeehouse to future customers.
"Right out of the gate, there were people that already knew us from that event, whether they came to us at that event or simply saw the signage in front of the store," Rose said. "It really helped get everything started for us."
Organizers say the event also gives residents a chance to celebrate something relatively uncommon in Macomb County: a traditional downtown.
"Macomb County has very few organic downtowns, so this is an opportunity for us to celebrate the downtown character that's here," Ziarko said.
Auburn Road is scheduled to close at 8 a.m. Saturday, with events beginning at noon. Organizers are encouraging people to dress up, bring their families and support local businesses.
For Ziarko, some of the event's smaller traditions help capture its neighborhood feel.
"My favorite is the people that live above some of the restaurants will actually come out and hand out candy," she said.
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