by Dan Mundt
Hocus Pocus will be shown in the dark
On October 29, the second Day of the Dead and Halloween Party will take place in Washington Park.
Businesses and individuals are invited to participate in the trick or treat portion of the event.
“Last year, we had 23 different trick-or-treat tables, and the sign-up for that was really good the first year. I thought it was a great event,” said Jennifer Smith, who is helping organize the Day of los Muertos and the Halloween party.
“Right now, after announcing it on Facebook on Thursday, we have 29.”
She and co-organizer Grant Fineran set a goal to double the number of trick-or-treating stations this year.
“Last year we had 23, so we’d like to see 46,” he said.
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Trick or treating will take place from 5 to 7 p.m.; There will also be other activities.
“We will go on hayrides again; we took out two different haystacks last year,” Smith said.
The route will be the same as last year; walk up 17th Street from Washington Park to Broadway, to Main Street, then down to 2nd Avenue and back to the park.
“They were a lot of fun,” he said.
“You’d see people out in their backyards and you could see a little bit of a frown on their faces, like ‘what are these people doing going through this?'”
Smith said he hopes the people he saw from their yards last year will be at the park this year.
Crawford County Memorial Hospital is donating pumpkins for a pumpkin painting activity.
“This was a huge success for the kids,” Smith said.
“We will have bouncy houses again, and this will be complemented by D&A Jumpers; they rent bounce houses here in town and they’ll have some there too.”
Denison LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) will be doing face painting as a fundraiser for this organization; Smith said face painting was very popular at last year’s event.
Mahoney & Gotto Company of Denison is this year’s costume award sponsor.
Four $25 costume prizes will be awarded.
“We’re going to have four categories,” Smith said. “I haven’t decided on the categories yet, but it will probably be something like scariest, cutest, best duo, and most creative/homemade.”
He said they are still looking for more participants in the trick-or-treat portion of the event.
“They can set up a small table for their own business, a table or a booth, it can be as simple or as fancy as they want,” he said.
“I think the best part about last year was that most of the companies also dressed up in their own costumes. It wasn’t just fun for the kids, it was fun for the adults too.”
Assembly in the park will begin between 3 and 3:30 p.m
“Companies can come at any time at this time to set up their own table; those with a very fancy or complicated table with decorations may want to come a little earlier,” she said.
“As long as they are there and ready to leave at 5 o’clock. Kids just walk down the sidewalk and get their treats or treats from the various vendors. They can do it if they want to, but they don’t have to. It’s up to them.”
He estimates that last year between 300 and 400 children participated.
“I’ve been telling companies to estimate roughly this year,” Smith said. “As with everything, when the goodies are gone, they’re gone. I’d say come early if you want to get all the treats – come late and you might miss some.
After the trick-or-treating ends, in the dark, the 1993 movie “Hocus Pocus” will be shown.
The film stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as wicked witches who come back to life on Halloween night.
“Hocus Pocus” wasn’t particularly successful when it was first released, but has become a cult favorite in the years since. It inspired a sequel that was released recently.
The owners of The Cottage, The Boutique, Totally You Boutique and Wise Monkey Quilting are sponsoring the film.
“I think some of these women have some of their own surprises in store,” Smith said.
“We’re very grateful that they stepped up and did that, and to all the sponsors we’ve had this year for the films.”
He said all film sponsors this season contacted the organizers, not the other way around.
“I think it’s a good sign that the community supports these events in the park,” Smith said. “As long as the community supports it, we’ll keep doing it.”
The Dia de los Muertos/Halloween Party in Washington Park is free.
Smith said organizers aren’t actively looking for help at the event, but if anyone wants to help, they’ll find work for them.
Individuals or businesses interested in having a table/booth to hand out treats at the park should contact Smith at 712-263-5551 or Fineran at 712-269-6796 or message them on Facebook.
