Costumed cyclists every witch way in Wilmette

Hide your cauldrons and your eye of newt. Witches in Wilmette are multiplying at a frightening rate.

The inaugural Wilmette Witch Ride put 16 bicycling witches on Wilmette streets in 2024, and two years later, on Saturday, Oct. 10, approximately 130 witches rode around Wilmette to the delight of hundreds gathered along the way.

Whitney Stanton spearheaded the fundraising witch ride three years ago, but since, she said, it has taken on a life of its own.

“It has exceeded my wildest expectations, especially in our third year,” she said. “The Wilmette community is what makes this possible and they are ready to do good things, they are ready to show up, they are ready to give back. … These people are the ones who are making the magic.”

Stanton was signaling to the coven gathered on a neighborhood street on the Saturday afternoon. Dozens of costumed bicyclists and bicycles created a scene full of pointed hats, striped leggings, broomsticks, and even a skeleton or two.

Many of the bikes featured baskets of candy prepare for the children setting up along the route. Melissa Fingerhut won a prize for her bubble-dispensing bicycle cauldron.

The top prize of head witch went to Annie Gray, who was the event’s top fundraiser. Gray and her fellow witches raised approximately $15,000 for Erika’s Lighthouse, a Winnetka-based nonprofit that focuses on depression awareness and suicide prevention.

Gray has been involved in the Wilmette Witch Ride since the beginning and is a member of the five-person planning committee (Gray, Stanton, Tali Nole, Natalia Branchick and Gen LeFevour).

She credited Stanton as the ride’s mastermind and said originally she was happy to back her friend and neighbor. Plus, she loves “a good theme party” and, more importantly, “just believe(s) in the mission.”

“Again, I just believe in the overall mission,” Gray said. “It’s a cool thing to give back and for our kids to get involved and to see not only their moms having fun but giving back to the greater good.”

The Wilmette Witch Ride expansion goes beyond participation. The group also gathered in the summer for a fundraising mahjong event at the Wilmette Harbor Club. The group raised $5,600 for Friends of Prentice, which supports women’s health research and programs.

At that event is when Stanton and company heard about Erika’s Lighthouse, which became the next witch-ride beneficiary.

Follow Wilmette Witches on social media to hear what’s next for the grassroots group. But you can bet having fun and giving back will be involved.

Stanton said the Wilmette Witch Ride is all about: “the combination of creating a community event, bringing women together and doing good for the community.”

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