Ashland, Ore. — The Halloween spirit was high in Ashland Monday evening.
The large amount of people have brought dollars to the local economy… but it also means potential danger.
Ashland police say like years prior, the Halloween parade brought thousands of people to downtown Ashland.
The streets filled from one end to another and local businesses benefited from it.
“Halloween is like our Christmas,” Renaissance Rose Manager Kayleigh Schoen said.
Schoen enjoys the foot traffic generated from the event on the main plaza.
“We open a little bit early, we stay open extra late… and we’re just busy all day long,” Schoen said.
Since the weekend, Schoen says Halloween sales have been up.
But a large influx of people can at times bring trouble.
While Ashland police prepare for events like this, they take no chances.
“We bring all the resources we can to make sure that everybody’s compliant, everybody’s having a good time, and everybody is safe,” Chief Tighe O’Meara said.
Chief Tighe O’Meara says his officers were assisted by partner agencies including Oregon State Police and the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.
He says there have been significant issues with intoxication in the past, but the vast majority of people have been respectful and safe.
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