Community gears up for month-long Halloween celebrations

The city is gearing up for a festive October, inviting residents to celebrate Halloween throughout the month with a variety of community events. City officials announced plans for neighborhood celebrations, encouraging families to participate in traditional trick-or-treating and to be inclusive of older children who also wish to partake in the festivities.

Unlike previous years, the city will not host a central downtown trick-or-treat event. Instead, local organizations such as the VFW and First Baptist Church are organizing trunk-or-treats and haunted houses, while businesses are encouraged to hold costume contests and other Halloween-themed activities.

Key events include a Fall Fest at the library on October 3, featuring a costume contest and a new puppet show based on \"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.\" The library will also host a haunted house on October 11, with family-friendly hours followed by a more intense experience later in the evening. On Halloween day, the library will offer a costume contest and special treats for visitors.

The Parks and Recreation Department is organizing a pumpkin carving contest, with a fee for larger pumpkins and free mini pumpkin decorating activities. Additionally, a children's costume pet parade will take place during the Hawg Eye Festival from October 24 to 26.

In a related update, the library will extend its hours starting October 1, now open Tuesday through Friday from 9 AM to 7 PM and Saturdays from 9 AM to 5 PM. This change comes after community feedback and aims to better serve residents without increasing the budget or staffing levels.

City officials expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming events and emphasized the importance of community participation in making Halloween a memorable occasion for all.