Trick & Treat & Read!
During the downtown Halloween event in 2023, parents and children got a chance to see the mystical, mysterious, and mythological Lantern Tree Books – a new bookstore and literary community center coming to downtown Carpinteria.
“The children got candy, of course,” joked owner Louis Force Torres, “but when I told them they could get a 1 x free book of their choice from the table, they really got excited!”
When asked about the event later, Louis mentioned a comment from the community:
“Someone told me that the kids on the street where just as excited about the books as the candy! This was the best compliment that I could receive.”
Some adults left with treat bags of their own, as Lantern Tree had put together mystery book bags based on book themes.
“We didn’t have a lot of time, so there weren’t as many as I would have liked,” said Torres. “The parents were very distracted by all the kids dressed up in costume, but we had a few pleased adults that we at least thought of them.”
All in all it seems the event was a success, and the start of a new downtown tradition for the City of Carpinteria. Louis even told us that his team at Lantern Tree are already saving the donated children’s books for next year’s Halloween.