STROUDSBURG, Pa. — Each year, students from East Stroudsburg University paint the windows of businesses in downtown Stroudsburg for Homecoming.
This year, the coronavirus has changed this tradition. Instead of painted windows, students and other area artists painted some well-known monsters onto cardboard.
"I think that really helped them and got them motivated that it's for a good cause, and it's, you know, something real positive," said Spark Coffee Company owner Jill Melia.
There are 58 businesses and restaurants with 65 unique pieces displayed along Main Street for Spooky Stroudsburg with characters from Coraline to Cruella, a witch, and Wednesday Adams.
"I was excited to get involved in, you know, do something for Halloween. I got Wednesday Adams, and I was thrilled to get her; she is great. The artists did a fantastic job," said Melia.
Since this year's artwork is more portable, it allowed other businesses to display it than in previous years.
"It was super easy for us. They dropped it off, so it's very simple to put up there, but it also shows that we're all together in this. Just walking down Main Street myself and seeing every window having something similar like that shows that we're a community and that we're, no matter what our views and opinions are, that we're all working through this together," said Siamsa Irish Pub executive chef Micah Harrison.
Harrison says the community has rallied behind the small businesses and restaurants in the area. It was important to do the same for artists who are also struggling during the pandemic.
"We love being part of this community. I think the local businesses that everyone has come together, especially through this pandemic and things like that, it's been kind of amazing how everyone's helped each other out," continued Harrison.
Storefronts will stay spooky in Stroudsburg through the rest of October.