In what has become an annual ritual for Westbrook, ghosts, goblins, as well as several dozen Harry Potters and Darth Vaders, descended on Main Street Friday night to celebrate Halloween.

After a wet and rainy week threatened to put a damper on the annual Halloween on Main street, sponsored by the Westbrook Community Chamber, the weather cooperated Friday night, and kids and adults alike had fun trick or treating on Main Street under clear skies and seasonably cool temperatures. Police Chief Paul McCarthy estimated the crowd at about 5,000 people.

Chamber of Commerce President Darryl Wright said he was pleased with the event. “I thought it was very successful,” he said. “All of the parents I talked to were very happy with it.”

Businesses all up and down Main Street passed out candy to eager kids, and there were puppet shows and costume contests as well. Even the Walker Memorial Library and the Mission Possible Teen Center got into the act, hosting haunted houses. Lines of people eager to have a frightfully good time snaked out of both buildings all through the evening.

Walker Children’s Librarian Pat Larrabee said the library’s haunted house went “exceedingly well” with hundreds of people coming into the oldest section of the library to walk through an elaborate haunted house.

At Mission Possible, folks had to walk underneath a spooky archway before descending into the building’s basement to be scared. Wright, who is also president of the Mission Possible board of directors, said the kids of Mission Possible had a great time doing the haunted house. “They were very excited about it,” he said. “They hope to do it again next year.”

The fun at Halloween on Main Street was not just limited to Westbrook residents. Wright said one woman from South Portland, whose child had just won a prize in the costume contest, said she was thrilled with the event and would be returning next year.

Mayor Bruce Chuluda was walking up and down Main Street Friday night, and he said he enjoyed celebrating Halloween with everybody. “I had great fun,” he said. “Everybody seemed to have a great time and that’s what it’s all about.”

Even though Halloween has just past, it isn’t too early to begin thinking about next year. While the chamber won’t begin major planning for next year’s event until the summertime, Wright said in the next few weeks, he is going to talk to Main Street businesses about the event. Wright said he hopes to see what worked and what didn’t, and use those opinions to help make next year’s Halloween on Main Street successful.

Traffic was backed up on William Clarke Drive after the event ended as cars leaving downtown merged with the regular rush hour traffic on William Clarke Drive, causing frustration for some motorists. Wright said one option that may be considered for the future is possibly moving the event to a Saturday evening to help to allievate the traffic caused by closing Main Street on a weeknight.