Have you heard of Witches Rides? Check out these 5 Sunday, October 25

One fun Halloween tradition that’s sprung up in the Greater Birmingham area in the past eight years is Witches Rides. We reached out to the organizers of the Homewood Witches Ride (Alabama’s Original) to find out more, plus we did a roundup of four others happening Sunday, October 25. Keep reading for all the details.

1. The Homewood Witches Ride: Alabama’s Original Witches Ride

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So many fun ways to be witchy. All photos via the Homewood Witches Ride’s Facebook page

Back in 2013, Janie Mayer and her friend Daphne Dickinson were looking for a way to honor Janie’s mom, Paula Stringfellow Ford, who had recently passed away from a rare form of lung cancer.

Ford and her husband had retired to Grayton Beach, where she and a group of women called The Witches of South Walton come up with a super-fun way to celebrate Halloween: they’d dress us as witches and ride their bikes as a way to raise money for school kids in the area. They followed their ride with a champagne brunch.

Inspired by Ford’s fun-loving spirit, Mayer and Dickinson pulled together the first impromptu ride that same year. 50 people showed up, and the rest is history. By 2019, the last year the ride could happen in person, the group had raised tens of thousands of dollars for cancer research, and more than 550 people were showing up annually for the rides.

Of course 2020 had other plans, so this year the dynamic duo have been encouraging people to go online donate to the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center. If people feel like getting out in a crowd, they’re welcome to join the fun at Little Donkey on October 25 starting at 6PM.

• When: Ride with friends + family any time; meet Sunday, October 25, 6PM
• What: Magic City Disco will perform in the parking lot at 6:15
• Where: Little Donkey, 2821 Central Ave STE 101, Homewood, AL 35209
• Register + donate: to support the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB—every dollar supports research | Facebook | Instagram

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2. Greystone Witches Ride

In contrast to the Homewood Witches Ride, Greystone’s Witches Ride is a purely fun event.

• When: Sunday, October 25, 4PM, ride at 4:15PM
• What: a parade of Greystone ladies + their guests dressed in their witchy attire riding bikes or golf carts with friends + family watching the parade + candy stops for the little ones
• Where: Greystone Park, 5511 US-280, Birmingham, AL 35242
• Register | Facebook

3. Star Lake Witch Ride—Green Valley, Hoover

Hoover’s Green Valley Community started the Star Lake Witch Ride as a community-based charity event. If you’re 18 or over, you’re invited to dress up and ride your decorated bikes while tossing candy to kiddos on the route.

Everyone—witches and spectators alike—is invited to bring a BOX to contribute to the Green Valley Church Food Bank food drive with the following specific items:

• Large cans (15oz.) of canned pasta with meat (e.g. Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Beefaroni, etc.)
• Boxed macaroni & cheese (not individual portions)
• Fruit cups (6, 8 or 12 cup packs)

Here are all the details you need:

• When: Sunday, October 25, 5PM
• Where: line-up starts at the bottom of Oriole Dr. at 4:30PM
• Register | Facebook | Instagram

4. Roebuck Springs/South Roebuck Witches Ride

Everybody in Roebuck Springs and South Roebuck was asking what would happen this year for Halloween since the usual neighborhood Halloween hayride didn’t seem like a good idea.

Enter the first-ever Roebuck Springs / South Roebuck Witches Ride, inspired by the Homewood Witches Ride. Residents are still voting on where proceeds from the ride will go, but in the meantime, kids in the neighborhood are looking forward to the candy.

• When: Sunday, October 25, 5:30PM, 4:15-5:15PM check-in + late registration, 5:15PM witches line up, 5:30PM witches take flight
• What: a 2.3 mile ride through the streets of Roebuck Springs + South Roebuck—ladies ride and throw candy at kids who have to have an adult with them
• Where: Starts at Esplanade + Mountain Drive and ends at Wilson Chapel
• Register | Facebook

5. Trussville Witches Ride

• When: Sunday, October 25, 5:00PM, line up at 4:30PM
• What: A ride for women 18+, benefiting the Maggie G. Bowles Memorial Scholarship Fund. Bring candy to throw. Sponsored by Trussville United Soccer Club.
• Where: At The Mall, 225 Parkway Dr, Trussville, AL 35173
• Register

Now tell us, Birmingham, what are you planning to do this Halloween? Tag us on social @bhamnow + let us know!