Area adults will have the chance to act like kids again in a first-time downtown Halloween event Thursday. It features a dinner, pumpkin carving and a costume contest.

The event, put on by the Albert Lea Downtown Association and Destination Albert Lea, with the help from the Tribune and KATE/KCPI, is officially being called Ride the Broom Down Broadway, said Mary Ellen Johnson, president of the Albert Lea Downtown Association.

“I think it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Johnson said.

The event goes from 5 to 8 p.m. with sales and specials at the downtown businesses throughout the day on Thursday.

It will not only be an effort to create something fun for people to do, but it will also be a chance to increase awareness of downtown businesses, Johnson said.

Johnson, the owner of Celebrations Party & Gifts, said the idea formulated after the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” in Hayward had ended. People were so excited from that, but then they were starting to get “down in the dumps” about the economy. The organizers wanted to do something enjoyable that everyone could relate to.

Ride the Broom Down Broadway

Who: Adults

When: 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday

Where: American Legion, downtown Albert Lea

Cost: $5.50 for dinner

She said the downtown business owners thought it would be exciting if each store had something fun going on in their stores the day before Halloween, and then the more they talked about it, the more they thought maybe there could be some Halloween contests down there, too.

Johnson said she talked with Tribune Managing Editor Tim Engstrom about their ideas, and Engstrom told her he thinks of the downtown as an adult place to go and that having something just for adults for Halloween would be exciting. It would also provide a different slant on the activity.

“We liked that idea,” she said.

So, on Thursday, the shops on Broadway Avenue will be open late with specials, clerks will be in costumes and there will be refreshments served as well.

From 5 to 8 p.m. a dinner of chili, cornbread, salad and Halloween desserts will be at the American Legion Leo Carey Post 56 building for $5.50.

The pumpkin-carving contest and the costume contest will also be there afterward.

People who want to participate in the pumpkin carving contest are encouraged to bring their own cleaned-out pumpkins and carving tools. They will carve at the Legion from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Judging will be at 7:30 p.m. with prizes awarded.

With the costume contest, there will be three $100 prizes for the scariest, cutest and most original costumes. Anyone over 18 can enter.

Johnson said the group decided if people wanted to dress up in costume and there was potential for good prizes to be awarded for them, it would really encourage people to get into the mood, and it could be successful.

That night people will also have the chance to enter for one of 12 prizes if they get a card punched at five different downtown businesses. Twelve cards will be drawn out of a cauldron throughout the night for prizes.

“It’s going to be very successful,” Johnson said.

The group tried to get people on board who everyone in the community knows and can relate to come out to the event.

Steve Schwartz will be the emcee for the night.