Becky McKarns said daughter Sully, 4, is obsessed with Wonder Woman. So both went as the super heroine Friday night at Wiscasset Community Center, where area families and organizations joined Wiscasset Parks and Recreation in making up the Halloween fun they would have had on Halloween, if Philippe had spared the Midcoast.

Parent after parent interviewed at the parade-costume contest-party in the gym said the department made the right call.

“I think it was a great idea. I wouldn’t have taken him out (Oct. 31), because it was dangerous,” said Kaitlyn Dyer, attending with son Brody, 6 months, in a penguin costume from T.J. Maxx.

In strollers behind them were Ernie and Bert from “Sesame Street.” Jackson Brooks, 2, was Bert; brother Jacob, 7 months, Ernie. “Everybody loves ‘Sesame Street,’” including her, mother Sarah Brooks said about the costume selections for her sons.

Performance Entertainment of Randolph played the “Halloween” movie theme as Parks and Recreation Director Lisa Thompson announced costume contest winners by their characters’ names. At other points, children dressed as a genie and a deer danced holding hands and a red dragon and other characters ran down the middle of the gym floor to other songs, including “The Macarena” and “Thriller.”

A baby tiger, Finley Widbiller, 4 months, of Wiscasset slept, no surprise to mother Xantha Widbiller. “He usually sleeps through all the action,” she said, smiling.

In the lobby, First Congregational Church of Wiscasset UCC Pastor Josh Fitterling and several church members offered free cider and other festive treats. Fitterling said he hadn’t been sure what animal the ears he donned represented. He thought maybe a cat, but then a child asked him if he was the Big, Bad Wolf, so he realized they might be wolf ears, he said.

First-time judge of the costume contest, Cheryl “Shep” Rust, said she was terrified because all the costumes looked so good and, she added, she didn’t know who have the characters were.

Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce put on the contest. Having a Kit Kat later, amid multi-colored dance lights in the darkened gym, a mini party hat-wearing Chamber Chairman Monique McRae praised Thompson and the WCC staff for their quick work moving the date and venue, getting the word out and carrying out the event. She and Thompson figured the days off from school following the storm probably encouraged turnout, which Thompson estimated at at least 300 people, including parents.

“I think everybody’s been cooped up all week and they just wanted to get out of the house,” Thompson said.