A parade of mini princesses, superheroes and animals marched throughout downtown Amherst on Sunday afternoon, darting into local businesses as they hunted for candy to fill their pumpkin heads and shopping bags. But trick-or-treating was just one part of the town’s annual Halloween Fest – held in the Bangs Community Center – which also featured a haunted house, carnival games, a costume parade and pumpkin painting.

Now in its 15th year, Halloween Fest is sponsored by the town of Amherst in partnership with the Amherst Chamber of Commerce, and numerous businesses which helped sponsor individual events in the community center. According to Linda Chalfant, director of leisure services and supplemental education, more than 21 local businesses participated in the trick-or-treating event.

“Amherst has been celebrating Halloween for a while,” said Stacey Lecuivre, an event coordinator. “For 48 years, businesses have done the seasonal window paintings you see now.”

The day’s intermittent rain showers and clouds didn’t stop the kids’ Halloween fun. Pumpkin bowling and a game of eating donuts off of strings were held outside, supervised by the Amherst emergency unit. Train rides were also provided, taking place around the community center’s parking lot with a cargo of cheering kids.

Inside, the carnival on the main level of the center was one of the busiest parts of the festival. Featuring tables of fun games for the kids, for between one and three tickets you could play a number of Halloween themed games with the end promise of candy – the day’s most popular commodity.

The pumpkin roll, which took place in the cleared out parking lot on Main Street, was another one of this year’s games. Standing at the top of the hill, the kids, grouped by age, rolled their pumpkins down as they ran after them to the end. Each participant was a winner, receiving a certificate to Bueno Y Saño.

And to make this all possible, Chalfant was adamant that UMass students were an integral part of this year’s operation. As volunteers, they helped set up the events and games and run the many booths.

“A big supporter was Dr. Dan Gerber … He really encouraged his students to participate in community service,” she said. “We really couldn’t have done it without them.”

Shira Ledani can be reached at [email protected].