Witching Good Time returns for it's sixth year
A group of participants in the 2019 Witching Good Time. The fundraiser will return this Saturday, October 2, and will begin at 2 p.m. at Rita's Tavern. Admission is $8. (Submitted photo)
NORWICH — The annual Halloween fundraising event to benefit the City of Norwich Youth Bureau, "Witching Good Time," is back for it's sixth anniversary. The event will be held this Saturday, October 2, beginning at 2 p.m. at Rita's Tavern, and will cost $8 to attend.
The Witching Good Time originally began as a way for friends to celebrate Halloween out on the town, dressed as witches, according to founder and organizer Sarah Lorimer.
"It started because I didn't have anything going on the first week in October. Usually each weekend I have something going on, between my kid's parties, adult Halloween parties, and going out in town for dressing up," said Lorimer. "When we first started we had 28 people that dressed up as witches and we proceeded to bar hop, and then come back to Rita's."
From there, interest in the bar hop grew. Lorimer explained that people began reaching out to her for more information on what they were doing.
"People saw us and then asked about it, and then we put it on Facebook and started doing event pages for Rita's, specifically," she said.
As interest and participation grew, Lorimer decided to adjust the event to accommodate the larger crowds. So, in 2019, the Witching Good Time was transitioned from a bar hop to a fundraiser located at Rita's.
"The first time we did it ... we had a good turnout, and then the second year it got bigger and bigger, and I just decided that I wanted to do it here. Stay stationary, keep everything right here at Rita's instead of traveling," explained Lorimer. "That's the one where we decided to donate and give back to the community, to the Youth Bureau, because we had so many people who wanted to give back."
The 2019 event drew large crowds of witches, and featured attractions such as five live bands, dance performances, raffles, tarot reading, and more.
In 2020, the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But, the seasonal event will make it's return this weekend with many of the same attractions.
"We'll have the food from Funk-e-BBQ, we're gonna have the High Kicks [and] Broomstix witch dance that'll be coming to do three dances. That helps collect donations as well," said Lorimer. "We do the 50/50 [auction], we do the Chinese auction, and I'll be raffling off one of my witch dresses that I wore prior."
The event will also host five musical performers, including The Bleach Boys, Grady Thompson, Ed and Birddog, Three Mad Poets, and DJ Randizzle.
Lorimer has been hard at work putting the fundraiser together, and she said it takes months of preparations, and advertising begins a year in advance.
"Weeks upon weeks just to decorate, but it takes months of just preparing and getting donations, and talking to the companies that help donate. It takes a while," she said. "I advertise all year round until it comes up."
With the event less than a week away, Lorimer is looking forward to it, and said she hopes for a good turnout, good donations, and that she plans to keep the event going every year.
"Hopefully to raise enough money like we did the last time, good food, good bands, lots of entertainment. I'm looking forward to all the costumes, meeting lots of new people, and hopefully it just gets bigger and bigger each year," she said.
For those curious about attending the Witching Good Time, Lorimer has one piece of advice.
"They should come see it for themselves," she said. "It'll be worth it, it's lots of fun."
The Witching Good Time originally began as a way for friends to celebrate Halloween out on the town, dressed as witches, according to founder and organizer Sarah Lorimer.
"It started because I didn't have anything going on the first week in October. Usually each weekend I have something going on, between my kid's parties, adult Halloween parties, and going out in town for dressing up," said Lorimer. "When we first started we had 28 people that dressed up as witches and we proceeded to bar hop, and then come back to Rita's."
From there, interest in the bar hop grew. Lorimer explained that people began reaching out to her for more information on what they were doing.
"People saw us and then asked about it, and then we put it on Facebook and started doing event pages for Rita's, specifically," she said.
As interest and participation grew, Lorimer decided to adjust the event to accommodate the larger crowds. So, in 2019, the Witching Good Time was transitioned from a bar hop to a fundraiser located at Rita's.
"The first time we did it ... we had a good turnout, and then the second year it got bigger and bigger, and I just decided that I wanted to do it here. Stay stationary, keep everything right here at Rita's instead of traveling," explained Lorimer. "That's the one where we decided to donate and give back to the community, to the Youth Bureau, because we had so many people who wanted to give back."
The 2019 event drew large crowds of witches, and featured attractions such as five live bands, dance performances, raffles, tarot reading, and more.
In 2020, the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But, the seasonal event will make it's return this weekend with many of the same attractions.
"We'll have the food from Funk-e-BBQ, we're gonna have the High Kicks [and] Broomstix witch dance that'll be coming to do three dances. That helps collect donations as well," said Lorimer. "We do the 50/50 [auction], we do the Chinese auction, and I'll be raffling off one of my witch dresses that I wore prior."
The event will also host five musical performers, including The Bleach Boys, Grady Thompson, Ed and Birddog, Three Mad Poets, and DJ Randizzle.
Lorimer has been hard at work putting the fundraiser together, and she said it takes months of preparations, and advertising begins a year in advance.
"Weeks upon weeks just to decorate, but it takes months of just preparing and getting donations, and talking to the companies that help donate. It takes a while," she said. "I advertise all year round until it comes up."
With the event less than a week away, Lorimer is looking forward to it, and said she hopes for a good turnout, good donations, and that she plans to keep the event going every year.
"Hopefully to raise enough money like we did the last time, good food, good bands, lots of entertainment. I'm looking forward to all the costumes, meeting lots of new people, and hopefully it just gets bigger and bigger each year," she said.
For those curious about attending the Witching Good Time, Lorimer has one piece of advice.
"They should come see it for themselves," she said. "It'll be worth it, it's lots of fun."
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