Families in Lincoln Park stopped by the Harrison Community Center while trick-or-treating on Thursday for board game-themed fun. The Northern Expressions Arts Collective hosted a “Family Game Carnival” featuring “live-action” versions of popular board games and retro video games.

“This event is all about bringing people together in our community. We wanted to find a fun way where we could encourage families to connect,” said Northern Expressions Arts Collective Artistic Director Patrick Weber. “Growing up, I remembered how much I loved playing board games, so I wanted to turn that love into something that the community could enjoy.”

Parent Brooklyn Schuller attended as the first stop of trick-or-treating fun.

“It’s been really exciting so far. All the games seem to be super cool and age-appropriate. So it’s been a blast,” said Schuller. “I grew up with my dad doing trick-or-treating and he’s always been a child at heart. So it’s going to be a blast with being able to have that come full circle.”

Northern Expressions Arts Collective has been in the neighborhood for around 13 years and has hosted this trick-or-treating stop for the past 10 years.

“One of the biggest things that we discovered, because we do weekly programming here at Harrison and across Duluth, is that when you can come up with something that not only kids, but kids, teens, and adults all want to be able to do, it allows them to connect and interact in a way that is positive and uplifting for the community,” said Weber. “Plus, when they know that there’s something that everyone can enjoy, they look forward to it. We’ve got families that have come to all 10 of them, and each year are asking us in July what we’re going to be doing this year.”