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Ghosts, ghouls stir up Halloween fun
Ghosts, ghouls and an assortment of heroes and villains gathered at the Hacker Middle School gymnasium for an evening of fun and candy during this year's Safe Halloween Carnival on Sunday evening.
Costumed characters young and old were already packed elbow to elbow when doors opened to the public at 6 p.m., which is about average each year, said Parks and Recreation Director Stan Franks.
The parks department started hosting the festival 33 years ago as a way to promote fun and safety, said parks and recreation spokesperson Crystal Anderson. It helped alleviate concerns with young children going door to door for Halloween treats at night with so many cars traveling on city streets at the same time. The indoor event also ensures people can enjoy the Halloween holiday without dealing with Idaho's often-unpredictable fall weather, she added.
Fantasy creations that walked through the door during the evening included a host of characters based on the latest Alice in Wonderland movie.
Towering over the others in the middle school gym, Michael Conteras was one of a handful of individuals that suited up as the Mad Hatter from the classic children's tale. The parks and recreation volunteer sports coach admitted he stayed up until 1 and 2 a.m. on some nights to finish his attire, which included a hand-made jacket and a towering top hat. His other accessories included a pair of custom-made contact lenses, which changed the color of his eyes to finish his transformation.
The Abrego family took the Wonderland theme a step further by dressing up as other key characters from the film.
While ninjas, soldiers, vampires and Chicago-style mobsters remained a common theme for many carnival goers, others wanted to bring a few children's classics to life. Sienna and Landon Wing sported blue hair and bright red costumes as they posed as Thing 1 and Thing 2 from the Dr. Seuss tale, "The Cat in the Hat." Meanwhile, brothers Wyatt and Tristan Rogers posed as Buzz Lightyear and Sheriff Woody from the Toy Story films.
Unlike traditional Halloween candy gathering methods of going door to door, the carnival used an assortment of games to hand out the sweets. In two hours, volunteers gave away more than 500 pounds of assorted treats with parents chipping in additional candy, Anderson said.
While some children continued to fill their buckets with sugary treats, others gathered in the school's main gymnasium for a shot at winning an assortment of prizes during the yearly costume contest. According to Anderson, competition attendance jumped by as much as 25 percent this year after organizers expanded the event to include older students and adults.
To make judging fair, parks and recreation included a total of 14 categories that allowed competitors to vie within their respective age group, with the winners walking away with a basket of treats and prizes. One of those categories allowed entire families to go toe-to-toe for a share of the winnings.
More photos available in the Mountain Home News photo gallery