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Tracy Barnett, executive director of Main Street Steamboat Springs, predicted "literally thousands of people" will turn out in costume tonight for the annual Downtown Halloween Stroll.

Lincoln Avenue will be closed from 5 to 7 p.m. from 5th Street to 10th Street for the trick-or-treating event.

Barnett said "pretty much everybody" that has a storefront on Steamboat Springs' main street will be participating, handing out everything from candy to children's books.

Steamboat businesses have passed out candy for the Downtown Stroll for more than 25 years. This year, Barnett said, several organizations, churches and election candidates will also join in on the festivities.

"It's become such a big deal now that everyone wants to get in on the act," she said. "Steamboat goes all out for Halloween, and there are a lot of very, very creative costumes."

And while Lincoln Avenue might well be "like a big fraternity party" later in the night, the early evening Downtown Stroll is an all-ages event, Barnett said.

In past years, Barnett said, she has seen whole families in coordinating costumes, including a washer and a dryer and a collection of M&M's in every candy color.

Earlier in the afternoon, the Colorado Mountain College Residence Hall Association will host its "Enchanted Castle," inviting families to trick-or-treat through the dorm.

"That's a real low-key, fun-and-games kind of thing," said CMC professor Jimmy Westlake. At 6 p.m., Westlake's SKY Club hosts its ninth annual "Screamboat Chamber of Horror!" in Bogue Hall, with skits that are meant to be alternately scary and funny.

"Some of our skits will have people laughing, and some of them will have people shivering," Westlake said.

The events overlap with the Downtown Stroll, a scheduling Westlake said he hopes will encourage families to get their Halloween thrills both downtown and at CMC.

Both the Halloween stroll and the Enchanted Castle are free; tickets for "Screamboat" are $5.