How Driftscape and 17th Ave Made Halloween Spook-Tacular with an Interactive Trick-or-Treat Trail

Halloween on Calgary’s iconic 17th Ave was more than just spooky; it was a showcase of smart tourism innovation and community spirit.

Through a unique partnership between Driftscape and the 17th Ave Business Improvement Area (BIA), the event transformed a traditional trick-or-treat experience into an interactive, technology-powered adventure. This collaboration, which leveraged the power of an app-powered trick or treat trail, delivered significant results for the community. Families, visitors, and local businesses all benefited, with foot traffic and sales soaring to record levels.

Here is how this exciting partnership brought Halloween magic to life and delivered real economic growth.

The Challenge: Boosting Visitor Engagement Beyond the Familiar

While 17th Ave is a hub of activity year-round, the BIA faced challenges common to many destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and BIAs. Visitors often stayed close to familiar areas, leaving hidden gems and diverse local businesses undiscovered.

This challenge meant local businesses struggled to attract and engage new customers, missing out on potential revenue during one of the busiest weekends of the year.

Additionally, some businesses were hesitant about adopting new visitor engagement technology, fearing it might not deliver a strong return on investment (ROI).

These barriers called for an innovative, easy-to-use solution to unite the community and drive meaningful results.

The Driftscape Solution: An App-Powered Trick-or-Treat Trail

Driftscape provided the core technology for the interactive Trick-or-Treat Trail, giving attendees an easy-to-use mobile app that mapped out participating businesses and guided them through the entire district.

This location-based tour foundation allowed the 17th Ave BIA to enhance the experience with a series of family-friendly activities in the main square. Visitors enjoyed Halloween movies, themed photo booths, costumed performers, and delicious offerings from local food trucks. This seamless blend of technology and in-person festivities created a Halloween celebration unlike any other, drawing families and visitors from across Calgary to explore the area with a purpose.

Outstanding Results: Proof That Smart Tourism Works

The results of the 17th Ave Halloween Trick-or-Treat Trail exceeded all expectations, showcasing the power of combining digital tools like the Driftscape platform with community events.

• Unprecedented Engagement: The location-based tour garnered an average of 34,000 app views, far exceeding the anticipated 1,500 views, indicating massive visitor interest in the digital experience.

• Surging Foot Traffic: Foot traffic sensors recorded a staggering jump from 27,000 to 56,000 daily visitors during the Halloween weekend, an increase of over 100%. This highlights the event's success in attracting new visitors.

• Sales Growth: Many businesses reported a significant 50% increase in sales, with first-time customers discovering their stores directly through the event’s interactive map.

• Enhanced Visitor Experience: Attendees praised the app’s ease of use, which made navigating the event and exploring 17th Ave’s diverse offerings simple and fun.

Key Takeaway: Using a map-based tour to gamify exploration successfully turned passive visitors into active explorers, doubling foot traffic and driving measurable sales growth for local businesses.

Empowering Local Businesses Through Training

Driftscape and 17th Ave BIA worked closely with local businesses to ensure they could fully embrace the event and the new technology. Through two hands-on training sessions, businesses gained confidence in using the app and promoting the interactive trick-or-treat trail to their customers. The enthusiasm generated by these sessions even attracted additional businesses to join the trail, creating a positive snowball effect of participation. Strategic promotions, including social media campaigns, newsletters, and Eventbrite listings, ensured widespread awareness, drawing thousands of visitors eager to explore what 17th Ave had to offer.

The success of the event inspired businesses to rethink how location-based technology and visitor engagement tools could support their goals moving forward.

Lessons Learned and Looking Ahead

The 17th Ave Trick-or-Treat Trail offered invaluable lessons that will inform future tourism campaigns:

• Simplicity Drives Success: The app’s user-friendly design made it easy for both businesses and visitors to engage with the event.

• Training Boosts Confidence: In-person support eliminated barriers to technology adoption, ensuring businesses were ready to shine.

• Promotion is Key: Effective marketing channels like newsletters and social media drove attendance and app engagement.

Building on the success of the Halloween event, 17th Ave plans to leverage the Driftscape platform for future campaigns, including themed itineraries, seasonal celebrations, and monthly guides featuring 17th Ave’s diverse businesses. These efforts will continue to enhance visitor experiences, drive local economic growth, and position 17th Ave as a must-visit destination for unique, app-powered events.

A Blueprint for Community Success

The collaboration between the 17th Ave BIA and Driftscape is a shining example of how technology can transform community events into powerful economic drivers. By seamlessly blending digital innovation with local traditions, they created a Halloween celebration that delighted visitors, boosted business sales, and strengthened community ties.

This case study provides a proven blueprint for other DMOs and BIAs across Canada looking to implement interactive storytelling and increase their own visitor engagement metrics.

Whether you are a local business association or a community leader, a platform like Driftscape can help you achieve your goals of increasing foot traffic and supporting local commerce. Contact us today for a demo and discover how our platform can empower your community, engage visitors, and create unforgettable experiences year-round.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about App-Powered Events

Question	Answer
What is an app-powered Trick-or-Treat Trail?	It is a modern, interactive version of the traditional activity where participants use a mobile app, like Driftscape, to follow a map to participating businesses. It uses location technology to guide visitors, provide context about locations, and track progress, making the experience more engaging and organized.
How did the app increase foot traffic so dramatically?	The app served as a navigational tool and a compelling incentive. By providing a clear, pre-planned route and highlighting businesses across the district, it encouraged visitors to explore areas they normally wouldn't, resulting in a 100%+ increase in foot traffic across the entire 17th Ave BIA.
What kind of businesses benefit most from this technology?	All local businesses within the district benefited, especially those that are not on the main thoroughfare. The map-based tour ensures visibility for every participant, driving first-time customers directly to their doors for an immediate sales opportunity.
Is this technology difficult for businesses to adopt?	No. A key lesson was that hands-on training eliminates adoption barriers. The Driftscape platform is designed for ease of use. Training sessions ensured local business owners were confident in promoting the event and welcoming app users, leading to higher overall participation and success.
Can this model be used for other seasonal events?	Absolutely. The app-powered event model is highly adaptable. The 17th Ave BIA is already planning to use the platform for themed itineraries, seasonal celebrations, and ongoing monthly business guides. It works for historical tours, art walks, holiday shopping guides, and more.
What does a BIA or DMO need to get started?	To get started, a BIA or DMO needs content (participating businesses, points of interest), a clear goal (like increasing foot traffic), and a platform partner like Driftscape. The platform handles the map, GPS functionality, and content delivery, allowing the BIA to focus on promotion and local engagement.
How does this drive economic growth?	By dramatically increasing visitor foot traffic, driving people directly to storefronts, and encouraging exploration of the entire district, these smart tourism tools directly translate into higher sales for local businesses, fostering local economic growth and supporting community revitalization.