BATON ROUGE — Halloween is almost here, and while candy is a must, costumes can be expensive for many families. 10/31 Consortium is making sure children in Baton Rouge can dress up and celebrate without parents breaking the bank.

Whether kids want to be Cinderella, Spider-Man, a vampire, or a pirate, Sunday’s giveaway allowed thousands of children to pick their outfits at no cost. Families lined up to select costumes, all donated by the community.

“This is honestly my favorite day of the year, seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces when they get the perfect costume,” Co-founder Kelley Stein said. "It goes a step further when you see the sign of relief on the parents’ faces."

With costumes costing up to $45 each, organizers say this event makes Halloween possible for many families. Over the last 15 years, the event has continued to grow, helping more families each holiday season.

“We started with 101 costumes because we were very excited to get over 100. Last year, we gave out over 900, and to date, we’ve given out almost 7,000 costumes,” Stein said.

Before any costume is handed out, each one is carefully checked to make sure it’s in good condition.

“We inspect each costume, and we sort all of the costumes. We make sure that they're of a good quality to give back,” Stein said.

Volunteers say the event is about more than just costumes; it’s about creating memories that last a lifetime.

“We’re just really happy that we can help them out with that and give those kids these precious Halloween memories,” Stein said.

For parents, Halloween is about more than candy; it’s about memories their children will have for years.

“Well, when I was little, I used to like to be the little doggy from Scooby-Doo, and it’s really memorable, and I’m sure they will remember it too when they get older,” a parent said.

For more information on how to donate, click here.