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Erica Techo
A crowd of nearly 500 "witches" waits at the starting line of the Witches Ride on Oct. 29, 2017. The 2-mile bike ride through Homewood raises money for the American Cancer Society.
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"Witches" ride along Parkridge Drive during the Witches Ride on Oct. 29, 2017. The Witches Ride is an annual event that involves costumed riders and raises money for the American Cancer Society.
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Erica Techo
"Witches" ride along Parkridge Drive during the Witches Ride on Oct. 29, 2017. The Witches Ride is an annual event that involves costumed riders and raises money for the American Cancer Society.
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Erica Techo
"Witches" ride along Parkridge Drive during the Witches Ride on Oct. 29, 2017. The Witches Ride is an annual event that involves costumed riders and raises money for the American Cancer Society.
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Erica Techo
"Witches" ride along Parkridge Drive during the Witches Ride on Oct. 29, 2017. The Witches Ride is an annual event that involves costumed riders and raises money for the American Cancer Society.
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Erica Techo
"Witches" ride along Parkridge Drive during the Witches Ride on Oct. 29, 2017. The Witches Ride is an annual event that involves costumed riders and raises money for the American Cancer Society.
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Taylor Benefield (front) with her dad, Jackson, and mom, Caroline, holds an airhead that she picked up at the Witches Ride on Oct. 29, 2017. The Witches Ride is an annual bike ride where hundreds of women in costumes circle Homewood and toss candy at awaiting "monsters."
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Children sit in a yard along Parkridge Drive during the Witches Ride on Oct. 29, 2017. The Witches Ride is an annual bike ride during which costumed "witches" cycle through Homewood and toss candy to awaiting "monsters."
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"Monsters" wave at the riders in the Witches Ride on Oct. 29, 2017. The Witches Ride is an annual event during which costumed cyclists toss candy to crowds of children.
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The Birmingham Pedal Tours pedal bar rolls through the streets of Homewood during the 2017 Witches Ride on Oct. 29, 2017.
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A decorated bike sits ready before the Witches Ride on Oct. 29, 2017. The 2-mile bike ride is in its 5th year and attracted hundreds of cyclists to Homewood Central Park.
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Sydney Cromwell, Lexi Coon, Sarah Finnegan, Emily Featherston and Alyx Chandler of Starnes Media stand ready prior to the start of the Witches Ride on Oct. 29, 2017. Hundreds of women turned out for this year's Witches Ride, during which they rode their bikes through Homewood and tossed candy to eager "monsters."
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Kelley Winslett, Heather Wallace, Angela Meachum and Pamela Taylor stand ready to start the Witches Ride in Homewood on Oct. 29, 2017. Several hundred women donned their best witch outfits, rode their bikes and tossed candy to children during the annual Witches Ride.
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"Witches" ride along Parkridge Drive during the Witches Ride on Oct. 29, 2017. The Witches Ride is an annual event that involves costumed riders and raises money for the American Cancer Society.
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"Witches" ride along Parkridge Drive during the Witches Ride on Oct. 29, 2017. The Witches Ride is an annual event that involves costumed riders and raises money for the American Cancer Society.
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Tami Tyler, Rosa Hill and Amy McCollum stand after the Witches Ride on Oct. 29, 2017. The Witches Ride is an annual bike ride, during which women in costume ride around Homewood and toss candy to waiting children.
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The Grateful Witches — Julie Mizerany, Marienne Siegel, Jessica Wattman, Lauren Tanner, Ana Moore, Chris Newell, Jennifer Robertson, Kennedy Walker and Anna Sizemore — wait for the start of the Witches Ridge on Oct. 29, 2017. Several hundred women with decorated bikes and costumes turned out for this year's annual bike ride, which circles Homewood.
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"Witches" ride along Parkridge Drive during the Witches Ride on Oct. 29, 2017. The Witches Ride is an annual event that involves costumed riders and raises money for the American Cancer Society.
Even though Halloween remained a few days away, there was no shortage of candy and costumes in Homewood on Sunday night.
At the fifth annual Homewood Witches Ride on Oct. 29, hundreds of witches flew their broomsticks through town, tossing candy at monsters. Of course, the witches were women in costume, the broomsticks were creatively decorated bicycles, and the monsters were children.
The celebration started mid-afternoon, with a fall festival in Homewood Central Park. There, families could eat at food trucks, and kids could enjoy bounce castles, face painting and other activities. At 5:30 p.m., the witches all gathered behind Homewood Central Park on Parkridge Drive to begin their ride.
Families lined the streets in designated candy zones, where the witches would toss handfuls of treats into the eager crowd. The riders continued along a 2-mile path before returning to Homewood Central Park.
In addition to getting everyone in the spirit of Halloween, the Homewood Witches Ride also raises money for the American Cancer Society through registration fees. The ride raised a total of $34,000 this year, including a donation from Little Donkey.
