Port Hope welcomes Pennywise the Clown

The highly anticipated horror film, It, has certainly left its mark on the lakeside municipality of Port Hope.

Sections of the town doubled as Derry, Maine when Warner Brothers shot parts of the Stephen King adaptation in town.

And now, on the cusp of the film’s release, one business owner threw a party to celebrate the town’s Hollywood moment.

“When they were shooting, It, it was just fun to have them around. It’s not something you see every day,” Queenies Bake Shop owner Adam Pearson said. “So of course everyone is excited to see the different locations.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "When they were shooting, <em>It</em>, it was just fun to have them around. It's not something you see every day," Queenies Bake Shop owner Adam Pearson said. "So of course everyone is excited to see the different locations."

Donning a yellow rain jacket to complete his George Denbrough costume (an early character in King’s book and in the film), Pearson hosted a barbecue outside his downtown business and sold $10 tickets that bought a chance to pop a red balloon and win a prize. That included a chance to win tickets to a VIP screening of the movie in Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre.

All proceeds from the event went to the Northumberland United Way.

“All of these funds will stay local and be used to help fund health and social services across Northumberland County,” said Northumberland United Way’s Heather Norris.