theview
November 2017
.com
Page 7
Trick-or-Treaters get their Fill at Halloween Festival!
Story by Kim Odom, Lakeland Senior Center Manager and City Events Coordinator
Photos by Kier Hull
Princesses, villains, and
superheroes, packed I.H.
Clubhouse, Sunday, Oct. 22,
for the City of Lakeland’s
annual Halloween Festival
hosted by the Parks and
Recreation
Department.
Droves of animated and
ghoulish characters filled their
bags with goodies as they
made their way around the
perimeter of the Clubhouse as
local vendors greeted the
youngsters
with
games,
candy, and prizes.
More than a dozen
Arlington
High
School
National
Honor
Society
students were on hand to help
vendors host games and give
out goodies. Among vendors
this year were the Memphis
Grizzlies and the Memphis
Redbirds. Even Rockey the
Rockin’ Redbird joined the
fun. He was among other
friendly
characters,
like
Gummy and Spider Man, that
greeted kids throughout the
event.
Making their way to the
Recreation Room of the
Clubhouse, more fun awaited
them. There, they had the
opportunity to get their face
painted by Arlington High
School art students or get
wacky and whimsical balloon
characters created by Mr.
Mike the Balloon Man.
Outside on the deck of the
Clubhouse, trick-or-treaters
picked out pumpkins, until all
250 were gone. Some lucky
pumpkin pickers spotted a dot
on their pumpkin indicating
they were winners of one of
many donated prizes given
away at the festival. Prizes
included
a
Memphis
Incredible Pizza certificate for
food and games for a family
of
four,
a
45-minute
experience at River City
Escape Rooms for up to 8
participants, and passes to
Jumping World Memphis.
Those of all ages got into
the fun. Kids and adults
participated in the judged
Halloween Costume Contest
divided by age categories. All
first-, second-, and third-place
winners went home with a
trophy - earned by the highest
Top: Hundreds packed the I.H. Clubhouse for a little trick-or-treating
during the popular annual Halloween Festival on Sunday, Oct. 22.
Bottom: Rainorah Pare, 5, impressed judges scoring high enough to earn a
second-place trophy in the costume contest dressed as Wonder Woman.
points on the judge’s score
cards. Fluffing his feathers,
Rockey the Rockin’ Redbird
entered the contest himself.
The friendly redbird took
losing well. He traded in
trying to win a trophy for
handing out trophies to the
winners of the contest.
The Grand Prize trophy
went to the family category of
the contest. Judges gave the
highest points to the Pare
family,
dressed
as
superheroes. In addition to the
biggest trophy of the
afternoon, the Pares also won
a family membership to
Children’s
Museum
of
Memphis.
“All-in-all, despite having
to move the event indoors
because
of
inclement
weather,” said Kevin Rooney,
Parks and Recreation director,
“trick-or-treaters went home
with a bag full of goodies,
along with great big smiles.
We accomplished what we set
out to do. If they leave happy,
we’re happy.”
Above: Chloe Caldwell, 8, took second-place in the 7-
10 age category of the costume contest during the
annual Halloween Festival in Lakeland, dressed as a
deer.