An annual Halloween bonfire scheduled tonight (Friday) in Madison Manor will represent a passing of the torch for the four-decade-old community tradition.
Hundreds are expected to turn out for this year’s blaze, which begins at 6:30 p.m. at Madison Manor Park (6225 12th Road N.). It will be the last hurrah for organizers James Riley and Brice Henderson, who have been hosting the fires since 1984.
The neighborhood tradition stretches back even longer than that. Riley and Henderson, both attorneys and young fathers, had heard stories of past bonfires from longtime Madison Manor residents, and took on the job of bringing the event back.
“We love to see the neighborhood kids enjoy Halloween, and wanted to revive the bonfire to give them a safe, fun and memorable time,” Riley told ARLnow.
Forty-one Halloweens later, the time has come for the firekeepers to turn over the initiative to a new generation.
“We wanted to step down from the heavy lifting of building the fire, because we aren’t as young as we used to be,” Henderson said. “We wanted to get younger community members involved while we are still around to mentor and advise.”
Highlights of past years have included Halloween costume contests (at one time judged by County Board members) and the time that the Arlington County Fire Department received reports of a large fire — and arrived with sirens blaring.
“After seeing that the fire was permitted, the firefighters stayed and let neighborhood kids explore the fire truck,” said James Riley’s daughter, Courtney.
Since the effort’s resurgence in the 1980s, Brice Henderson’s wife Judy has been an integral part of the planning — including obtaining permits from the fire marshal — and gathering a corps of volunteers.
Some of those volunteers gather dead tree limbs from Madison Manor Park, assembling the pyre around 10 a.m. on Halloween morning.
This year, Riley and Henderson decided the time was right to train others so they could carry the effort forward.
“Our kids and grandkids have all enjoyed the bonfire, and we hope that the tradition continues,” Riley said.
“As husbands, fathers and neighbors, we’re proud that we’ve done our part to contribute to the Madison Manor community over the years,” Henderson added. “We’ve given the kids some fun, and we’ve had fun doing it together.”
And while they no longer will be in charge of the effort, they plan to remain active in it, Riley said.
“We hope to become bonfire men emeritus, since we will still be neighbors in the community,” he said. “We are available to supervise, consult and offer the benefit of our years of experience.”
