It was a convocation of the good (princesses), the bad (witches) and the ugly (miscellaneous ghouls).

The annual Safe Trick of Treat, sponsored by the Ironton Business Association and Halloween Parade, sponsored by the Ironton Lions Club and the Ironton Rotary Club brought an estimated 1,500 costumed children and their parents to downtown Ironton Monday for an evening of revelry.

By 6 p.m., the sidewalk along Vernon Street beside the Ironton City Center was lined with treat-seeking folk, waiting for their turn at candy dishes.

Seven-year-old Austin Barcus, of Ironton, was dressed as the movie character "Scream", his mask equipped with tubes that carried fake blood through the face of it. Clearly, Austin was going for the creepy look, which did not impress the princess behind him.

"I don't like that," two-year-old Madelyn Hicks said, spying the "Scream" mask. "That's mean."

Two witches, Amanda Delawder, 10, and Keri Simmons, 9, of Ironton, promised no evil curses provided they got their candy quota. Four-year-old Krystal Simmons was a puppy.

Not far away, Paul Allen Brown, 13, and Brianna Orlando, 12, both of South Point, practiced their Halloween stunt: Brown, dressed as the character "Michael Meyers" from the "Halloween" series of movies,

would drag Orlando, bloodied up as his victim, through the street come parade time, a knife across her throat. "I liked the movies," Brown said, when asked why he decided to be Meyers.

Some of the kids had more than just candy in mind: their outfits were elaborate, and their aim was to take home awards for best costume.

Katrina McKinney, 2, of Coal Grove was a cowgirl in a pink satin outfit, straddling a rocky horse in a wagon. Grandpa Robert Chaffins pulled her along.

Shelby Dalton, of Ironton, won first place in the Most Original category for her "Rockin' Robin" creation. Dalton, in a brown feathery costume rode atop a nest in the middle of serene garden scenery, the 1960s pop tune playing along.

"She was the grand marshal in the Halloween parade at King's Island Saturday," her mom, Ginger Dalton, said.

Trevor Heaberlin, 27 months, of Kitts Hill, was in the doghouse for the festivities- literally. Heaberlin, dressed in a puppy dog outfit, rode in a see-through dog house festooned with fall decorations. The song "How Much Is That Doggy In The Window?" played as he rode along, pulled by his dad, Shannon, in a golf cart.

As the children made their way up and down sidewalks, business people waited at their storefronts, ready with buckets of candy. "We're ready for 1,300 or so," Tim Gearhart, of Tim's News and Novelties said.

On the KFC lot, a large yellow-feathered chicken greeted trick or treaters- no doubt glad that it was not going to wind up the treat for this occasion.

The Safe Trick or Treat and the parade kick off a week of spooky activities: most area communities will celebrate Trick or Treat Thursday evening. Halloween (officially) is Sunday.