Miramichi treasure hunt wraps up with Friday the 13th search
$100 bills were up for grabs Friday evening
Those who say Friday the 13th is unlucky never lived in Miramichi.
A 13-day, horror-themed treasure hunt that left dozens of residents a little richer wrapped up Friday with a final treasure of 13 $100 bills hidden in the city.
Hundreds of people started searching for the bills after the first Miramichi Mystery Machine clue was posted shortly after 7 p.m.
Mallory Barnaby found one of the $100 bills buried under some rocks at an industrial site near a local school.
She said she almost passed over the site. "I thought it was leaves at first."
Spreading the wealth
The treasure hunt was not only a boon to many area residents looking to shake off pandemic blues, but also to one local business.
One of the earlier clues pointed to the Three Dog Distillery and its bar, The Dirty Dog, asking people to meet between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m..
Cheryl Brown, the owner of the distillery, said she has nothing to do with the hunt and usually her business is closed at that time.
But she made sure to open early on that day and got some extra business from the event.
Brown said she had around 40 people at the business in the late afternoon and early evening.
"There was a draw for $100. And whoever is behind this had somebody … take names for the draw."
'Fun' but 'creepy' diversion
The identity of treasure hunt organizer Roman Dungarvan, who is seemingly named after a local folk tale, remains a mystery.
CBC News has reached out to the individual claiming to be Dungarvan but have not received a response.
While they're remaining tight-lipped on their identity and the reasons for the treasure hunt, Brown said they've done a lot to raise spirits.
"I mean, certainly, whoever's behind this is doing a fair amount of promotion for local businesses, which is good," said Brown. "It's still a bit creepy."
While Barnaby's $100 windfall won't go far in an era when gas sells for $2 per litre, she said it's really not about the money.
"It's still fun to get out and do stuff," said Barnaby. "It was good to see everybody out there having a good time."
With files from Shane Fowler