Boo Bash, Pumpkin Festival Saturday

For the second year in a row, and in a year which brought much uncertainty, one thing is certain: a family-friendly socially-distanced outdoor community event will be added to the line-up of Hill City’s spooky October festivities —The Hill City Children’s Boo Bash and Pumpkin Festival.

Following on the heels of Friday’s Oct. 30 after-school Main Street Merchant Trick-or-Treat and Boys and Girls Club Halloween Carnival, the Hill City Children’s Boo Bash and Pumpkin Festival once again will be held on Halloween (Saturday, Oct. 31) from 10 a.m.-noon at the Hill City Visitor Information Center (VIC) 23935 Hwy 385, Hill City.

"We are super-excited to safely bring this fun, family-friendly event to our community again this year,” said Janet Wetovick-Bily, executive director of the Hill City Area Chamber of Commerce.   

The Boo Bash and Pumpkin Festival is for Hill City-area children and is a free, non-scary, safe and fun way for children to experience Halloween.

“Just as last year, thanks to generous chamber board members, other giving chamber members, awesome VIC Staff, wonderful sponsors and loving volunteers, with additional careful planning, the event is a reality,” said Wetovick-Bily. “And since this is an outdoor event, we can especially follow safe, social distancing best practices with our little attendees.”

All volunteers, staff and trunk-or-treat providers will be wearing masks, hand-sanitizer will be provided, treats will be dispensed in a contact-less manner, masks are encouraged for all attendees, guests will be asked to physically social distance and activities will be held out on the lawn and/or in the parking lots, weather permitting, she said.

Wetovick-Bily notes that if the weather should turn inclement, the back-up plan is that the event will become just a drive-through “treat-drop” for families who wish to stop by during the scheduled hours of 10 a.m.-noon.

For now, with good weather anticipated for the event, the planned activities include:

A “Trunk or Treat” area — Members of the Gold Dust Chapter Veterans Motor Car Club of America will provide their classic decorated cars in the east parking lot for “Trunk or Treat.” Trunk-or-Treaters can vote for their favorite “best decorated” car.

The “Pumpkin Patch” — a decorated area where children and their parents can have their pictures taken will be set up outside the Visitor Information Center.

A mini-pumpkin giveaway — 100-plus small mini-pumpkins and mini-pie pumpkins were secured for the event and donated by Krull’s Market. 

Candy, treats and prizes are also being provided courtesy of The Handbag Store, Krull’s Market, Candyland/Sweet Greens, and Turtletown along with VIC and chamber staff.

New this year is a “Guess the Candy Corn Count” where the guess closest to the actual number of candy corn in a jar nets the winner a prize.

Also new this year is a costume contest and parade at 11 a.m.  Children and youth ages 0 to 15 in costume will line up on the west lawn of the VIC and promenade in front of judges. Prizes will be given for costumes in the following categories: Funniest, cutest, most original and best homemade.

“Like we do with our Easter Egg Hunt or any event here at the VIC, we’re looking forward to welcoming a lot of little hearts here at the VIC — and big ones, too — who are going to be pretty excited at this chance to get one more good use out of those Halloween costumes,” Wetovick-Bily said. “It’s going to be a great time.”

For more information—contact the Hill City Chamber at 605-574-2368.

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