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Great Scott! Cheryl Westerman (“Marty McFly”), Stephanie McNamara (“Doc Brown”) and Justin Watson (“Buford Mad Dog Tannen”) performed for a promotional video Sept. 28 to publicize the upcoming Back to the Future event in downtown Marble Falls. Photos by Connie Swinney/The Highlander -
Ms Lollipop Parties Fun & Gifts owner Cheryl Westerman and Ragtime Oriole manager and Lazy Heron barista Justin Watson recreated a scene recently from the beloved eighties movie to motivate the community to participate in the upcoming day-long event on Saturday, Oct. 16 featuring costumes, prizes and specials from Main Street merchants. -
The Back to the Future event in Marble Falls on Saturday, Oct. 16 will coax merchants and visitors to dress in eighties costume and/or characters from the movie favorite and hang out downtown. The event will also feature specials from businesses, a replica of the DeLorean staged in the 200 block of Main Street and a free screening of the movie outdoors at Harmony Park. Photos by Connie Swinney/ The Highlander -
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When Cheryl Westerman has an idea to make the Halloween season more fun, the results tend to be out of this world.
“I’ve been planning this for months,” she said with a wry smile. “Everybody loves costumes. I’m an eighties girl. That’s my era.
“It will bring more business into downtown Marble Falls.”
Westerman, who is the owner of Ms. Lollipop Parties Fun & Gifts on Main, devised a plan for a large downtown community event with day-long activities Saturday, Oct. 16 to take Marble Falls back to 1985.
With focus on the beloved Back to the Future movie, the event will include placing a replica of the DeLorean Time Machine from the movie on Main Street from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. parked in the 200 block of the street.
Along with support from the city of Marble Falls, the parks and recreation department will host a free screening of the 1980s popular film on a large pop-up outdoor screen on the grounds of Harmony Park at Third and Main Street.
“When I was growing up, Back to the Future was one of the best movies and it still is,” said Justin Watson, manager of Lazy Heron Coffee and Ragtime Oriole, at the intersection of Second and Main streets. “This shows we can all come together with an old school movie that we all watched as kids and have some fun.”
Westerman, who is known for mobilizing business owners with shop local activities throughout the years, encouraged Watson’s participation and coordinated a number of other downtown merchants to take part in the overall event.
The Lazy Heron Coffee staff will be in costume and offering a strong Biff Coffee Drink, named for the antagonist in the movie.
“It’s going to bring the community together and show that there is still unity out there,” Watson said. “It shows that we can all still participate with all these times, and everybody separating over a virus or politics.”
Highland Arts Guild, at the Fourth and Main Street, celebrating 50 years will be dressed in 50s period costumes one of the themes in the original Back to the Future movie.
“50s, 60s, 70s, 80s. It’s whatever you want to come dressed as,” Westerman said. “Anything where they can relive a memory that brings happiness and fun into their lives, that’s just a heart-warming thing.”
Darci’s Deli, 909 Third St. Suite A, will feature the Hill Valley Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwich.
Texas Elite Meat, 204 Main St., will offer the Marty McFries and a “Mad Dog” Tannen Burger Basket after a character who played the great grandfather of the Biff the bully.
Brass Hall, 909 Third St. Suite B, will host a Flash Back Dance Party where entry is free for those in costumes. The dance party starts around 9 p.m.
“It’s getting some of these businesses back doing something as well. A lot of these businesses maybe have been slow through the summer,” Westerman said. “Of course events bring more people into town. That’s more sales.”
Other businesses, who plan to offer specials and other giveaways, will be dressed in 80s theme or as characters from the Back to the Future series of movies spanning from the old west to a cybernetic future.
“Last year, during Halloween everyone was closed inside, so this is to bring in not just locals but outside people as well to come visit our shops, the restaurants,” Westerman said. “We’re hoping that everybody comes in costume.
“The more events that we can find that inspire people to get out – the DeLorean is one reason. That’s a pretty cool car – the better,” she added. “It’s inspiration for the public to get out and have some fun.”
Ms. Lollipop store manager Stephanie McNamara helped coordinate a pre-event promo and photo op Sept. 28 for the event dressed as “Doc Brown” from the classic hit movie (See the video posted on www.highlandernews. com).
Westerman dressed as the “Marty McFly” of the future, while Watson played the role of Buford “Mad Dog” Tannen from the old west-themed sequel.
“I think the 80s was a more fun time than what we are currently going through right now,” McNamara said. “Just having a little blast from the past, just makes everybody just a little more nostalgic.”
Watson added, “When everyone participates, we can bring more events next year, so that people who come to Marble Falls have a lot more to do than just walk around.”