Halloweenfest brings out the scary and fun
Bowen Park in Waukegan overflowed with wild animals, scary ghosts and other frightful creatures Saturday at the 14th annual Halloweenfest.
(Michael Schmidt/News-Sun)
• Video: Halloweenfest
Little trick or treaters had so many things to choose from including the Enchanted Walk, mini-train rides, cookie decorating, storytelling by bonfire, magic show, adrenaline maze, boo buckets, mystery box, grave toss, spider golf and a pumpkin toss.
Older kids had the haunted house, haunted walk, and DJ.
Zachary Frontone, 5, of Waukegan looked tired, but he still didn't want to leave with his parents Jachin and Kristal, as it quickly became dark. Originally from North Carolina, dad is in the Navy.
"He enjoyed it so much he doesn't want to leave," said mom.
"I didn't get to go on the train," he protested.
But his parents reminded him that he got to see the magician's show and his face lit up like a carved pumpkin.
"He took his thumb and he made it disappear," Zachary explained, also recalling that he made kids' noses create different noises and pulled an endless stream of handkerchiefs out of his stomach.
"He had all the parents laughing too," Jachin Frontone said of the magician. Zachary also decorated a cookie. "I put the sprinkles on it," he said.
Jennifer Dumas, coordinator of Halloweenfest, said it started in 1995 when the park district and the city decided to combine their Halloween events. "We decided that together we could produce a safe event for the community," she said. Great Lakes Credit Union teamed up with the Park District to bring together this year's celebration.
"It's also successful because of the 100 plus volunteers," Dumas said, which included Northern Illinois University theater members, U.S. Navy, Harris Bank, Citizen Police Academy Alumni, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Special Recreation Services of Northern Lake County and friends and family of the park district.
Wyteasha Banks of Zion was making her first trip with her little ones, Ranaijha Taylor, 2, dressed as Little Red Riding Hood and Lemiryana Crume, 6 months, dressed as the skunk, Pepe Le Pew. She had just entered the festival when she ran into a mime scarecrow played by Gary DeVar, who entertained the people waiting to get into the Haunted House. He held his nose when he got close to the little skunk.
"I like it," Banks said. "It's a good event to bring the kids."
The six rooms of terror at the Haunted House kept the older kids occupied, but after a certain age it's not as scary, according to a group of Waukegan kids.
"We were just laughing the whole time," said Erin McCormick, 15. "I think it was hilarious," said her friend Molly McHugh, 14.
But McHugh's sister, Macy, 12, whose hair stood straight up, felt different. "I think that it was very scary," she said. Her friend, Brandy Spencer, 15, agreed. "I tripped over somebody and he grabbed my leg," she said. "And then I tripped over Brandy," said Macy.
Dumas said they are always looking for volunteers to help out at the event. "It's my favorite," she said. "It's definitely family orientated and it brings families together," she said.
