Picture perfect weather and eager trick-or-treaters made for a successful evening at the inaugural Newton YMCA Family Fall Festival on Friday. More than 700 people enjoyed gathering goodies at the trunk-or-treat, playing in the bounce house, daring to enter the mystery room and a few even jumped in the pool to bring home their own pumpkin.
“We are having a really great turn out,” YMCA associate executive director Rhonda Robson said during the event “It is a beautiful night, we couldn’t have asked for anything better.”
The line wrapped around the building at the start of the evening and didn’t let up for more than a hour as princesses, ghouls, firemen and many more costumed kids filled their buckets with treats from area businesses and community members who signed up to decorate their trunks in fun themes. Kids also had the opportunity to ride the “train” and get a hot dog, apples and apple cider provided by the YMCA.
“We went through 350 hot dogs with a line of about 350 yet to come,” YMCA board member Doug Smith said. “We were hoping to get 200 people, if we got 200 people it would be a success so this is fantastic.”
Smith said next year they will be ready for the crowds but with the great weather and hosting one of the first Halloween events of the year, kids were more than eager to get their costumes on and celebrate the holiday.
Along with a gym filled with activities from face painting and balloon animals to games and parachute fun, the swimming pool was also open and filled with pumpkins for a floating pumpkin patch. Swimmers could take the plunge and bob for their own pumpkins or have a swimmer grab one for them from the pool.
Tina Brose brought her granddaughters, McKenna and Savannah, to the event to enjoy a new, safe way to celebrate the holiday.
“It was something for them to do. They are living out here now and going to school, so it is all new for them,” Brose said. “It is safe and fun. They rode the train, played in the bounce house, won T-shirts playing games got balloons and went into the mystery room where it was dark and their shirts glowed.”
With outstanding numbers and positive feedback Robson felt the event was a success and is already looking forward to next year.
“We invited the whole community and it looks like a lot of them came,” Robson said.
Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com
