BREMERTON — Halloween is a holiday that really is fun for the whole family, especially at the Port of Brownsville’s Haunted Harbor.

Now in its second year, the Haunted Harbor has already grown. Last year, event organizer and Port commodore Carolyn Thomas said eight of the resident houseboats were decorated for the occasion. This year, 26 are joining in on the festivities.

“Last year, when I started this, I just wanted to do something for my community,” Thomas said. “I thought maybe we’d get 50-75 kids … we got over 200 children and their families.”

A good portion of that, Thomas said, was because the Central Kitsap School District agreed to post event information in the schools, as well as send home handouts with the elementary students.

Haunted Harbor, put on by the Brownsville Yacht Club, is a fun, safe environment for children and families to attend. Houseboats are decorated, a safety officer will be on hand to take the trick-or-treaters around the dock for candy, the local nonprofit studio, ArtSLAM, will be on hand for pumpkin decorating and, returning this year to defend their title as the runaway hit of the Haunted Harbor, is the Hearse Club, boasting an additional two hearses.

“(Last year), I said we don’t want anything scary, but the kids were all over the coffins,” Thomas said.

She said having this event was a way to show off the Port of Brownsville.

“We all live by the water, and a lot of times, people don’t even know where to go,” Thomas said. “I guess it’s just bringing children to an environment they would not normally go to or experience. It’s not like trick-or-treating from house to house.”

But it’s not just a fun time.

“I contacted Bremerton Foodline last year and said, ‘Can we use our logo? Can we do this to scare away hunger?’” Thomas said.

Entry into the Haunted Harbor costs a suggested donation of one canned food item per person.

“The Port of Brownsville supports the Foodline 12 months a year,” Thomas said.

Haunted Harbor will be from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Port of Brownsville marina.

Thomas said that though the advertised age group is 6-12-year-olds, last year “we had children in strollers, we had teenage kids with their little brothers and sisters.”

“What amazed me was how many moms and dads, families, dressed up with their kids,” Thomas said.

Learn more about Haunted Harbor at www.brownsvilleyachtclub.org.

Michelle Beahm is a reporter for the Central Kitsap Reporter and Bremerton Patriot. She can be reached at mbeahm@soundpublishing.com.