The town behind Disney's Halloweentown is hosting another season of movie magic, with cast visits set this month
St. Helens, Oregon is running its Spirit of Halloweentown festival through Nov. 1, with original cast appearances tied to the film's 28th anniversary.
Disney Channel's Halloweentown is turning another birthday into a real-world event. The Oregon town used for the 1998 movie is once again staging its annual Spirit of Halloweentown celebration, with several cast appearances now on the calendar.
What changed for fans
St. Helens, Oregon, where Disney Channel filmed Halloweentown, is running this year's Spirit of Halloweentown on Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 1 in its downtown area. Festival hours are listed as 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Entry to the plaza is free, while paid activities are covered by an Access Pass. Organizers also list a nightly pumpkin lighting during festival evenings and a trolley tour focused on filming locations.
The biggest draw for Disney fans is the guest lineup. J. Paul Zimmerman, Emily Roeske and Phillip Van Dyke are scheduled to appear Oct. 17 and 18, which lines up with the movie's 28th anniversary weekend. Judith Hoag is scheduled for Oct. 24 and 25.
Why this little town still matters to Halloweentown fans
Halloweentown premiered on Oct. 17, 1998, as Disney Channel's fourth original movie. Kimberly J. Brown starred as Marnie Piper, a 13-year-old who learns she comes from a family of witches, alongside Debbie Reynolds as Grandma Aggie and Hoag as Gwen. The story follows Marnie, Dylan and Sophie after they secretly board Aggie's bus and end up in Halloweentown.
Director Duwayne Dunham said filming in the town square felt "like shooting on the back lot." Brown has said the production actually shot during summer, even though the movie is closely tied to Halloween season.
The connection did not end when filming wrapped. St. Helens later launched a Halloween festival tied to the movie. According to local reporting cited in the feature, the event nearly faded by 2007 before gaining momentum again after the city's giant jack-o'-lantern was rebuilt in 2010. In 2012, the city also used $5,000 in tourism funds to buy movie props, including the taxicab.
This year's event also faced pressure behind the scenes. In September, St. Helens had to address a $350,000 gap in its events budget. The City Council moved $250,000 from a contingency fund and approved a $100,000 loan from another city fund. One downtown shop owner said the festival brings in about 80% of her gift shop's yearly revenue.
