LEWISTON — Peter Geiger has about 6,500 candy bars, one drive-thru lane and three teams of candy runners.

He’s ready for Halloween, rain or shine.

Lewiston’s Mr. Halloween, long known for secret passwords, king-sized candy bars and drawing huge crowds, is moving the celebration from his neighborhood to Geiger’s corporate headquarters for the second year.

Trick-or-treaters will again find him at 70 Mt. Hope Ave., “next to a real live, I mean dead, cemetery,” quipped Geiger.

“The drive-thru was just what we needed during the pandemic,” he said. “Cars were backed up a mile, but people were warm and appreciative. Because of logistics of the space, we will stay with a drive-thru. I would like to return to everyone coming and picking out their favorite candies.”

Last year, 1,723 trick-or-treaters turned out.

His all-time record? 2,507 in 2017 at his Brentwood Avenue home.

“That was the year we lost power in most parts of town,”  Geiger said.

This year, drive-thru trick-or-treating starts at 4 p.m. and trick-or-treaters must come wearing a costume. He’s tweaked the line so three cars will stop for candy at once to better move traffic along.

Visitors will find more than 45 inflatables as well as mechanical and real creatures around the building. They’ll also find 21 varieties of candy, coming in at 1,225 pounds.

Visitors just might also find Geiger, the longtime editor of the Farmers’ Almanac, dressed as an astronaut.

“When I was a child, my brother and I always looked for the ‘best’ homes for candy,” Geiger said. “I decided that when I was an adult, I’d be one of those ‘desirable places’ to go. With so much stress in our lives, I get the greatest pleasure seeing families having fun together – maybe the last time they are outside until spring.”

Geiger is releasing the secret password, which scores the bearer three king-size candy bars, Friday morning.

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