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Rain drives Halloween celebration indoors

Harmony Karcher, 2, and her sister Raelynn Karcher, 10, both of Marietta, dressed as a cupcake and a baker on Saturday in Marietta. (Photo by Doug Loyer)

MARIETTA — With smiles in abundance and plenty of Halloween creativity being showcased, this year’s annual Halloween festivities were held in the Junior Fair Building at the Washington County Fairgrounds because of the rainy weather on Saturday.

Typically, a Halloween parade takes place downtown Marietta and the Halloween in the Park party follows in Muskingum Park.

“This is the 31st annual Halloween at the Park,” said Connie Grimes, longtime organizer from the Pioneer Ladies Civitan. “This event is in conjunction with the Lions Club Parade. We decided to have it in the Junior Fair building (Saturday) since it is raining. We appreciate the Fair Board helping us out. Even though we changed the location, it will work out fine. We’ll roll with it.

“I think it’s great that the civic organizations work together for the kids to have great Halloween party like this,” added Grimes. “Everyone just comes together and has a good time.”

The Halloween Parade and Halloween at the Park is a free community event that involves many local civic groups including the Marietta Civitan Club, Pioneer Ladies Civitan, Marietta Noon Lions Club, Kiwanis, Noon Lions, Zonta, Rotary Clubs and the Marietta High School Key Club.

Remington Harris, of Marietta, enjoyed playing the games at Halloween in the Park on Saturday in Marietta. (Photo by Doug Loyer)

It started off with the Marietta Noon Lions Club having a costume contest. This year, Liam Wedig won the Funniest Award. Bailey Roberts took the Scariest Award and the Most Original Award went to Audrey Porter and Ava Bartlett. The Best of Show Award went to Harmony Karcher who dressed up as a cupcake.

“My youngest has come to this for many years and now my grandkids,” said Jennifer Bruce, of Williamstown, who’s granddaughters, Harmony, 2, and Raelynn Karcher, 10, both of Marietta, dressed as a cupcake and a baker.

“We try to do original costumes,” said Bruce. “This is one of my favorite times of the year because you can dress up and have a good time. It’s fun for the kids, big and little.”

“What I like best about Halloween is the candy,” expressed Raelynn who attended the party this year for the first time. “I really like Snickers.”

Inside the Most Original award-winning dragon costume with only their legs showing was Audrey Porter and Ava Bartlett. Audrey’s grandmother, Carol O’Grady of Marietta, said that the girls are sixth grade classmates at St. Mary’s School. The girls have been working on the costume for months.

Kara Pasco, 10, of Marietta, dressed as a marionette doll at the Halloween party. (Photo by Doug Loyer)

“I love this event and I’m so glad that it was held even though it rained,” added O’Grady. “I see so much creativity (Saturday) and everybody is smiling and having a good time. The civic groups put so much work into this. They are to be commended.”

Jennifer Randolph, of Little Hocking, gets serious about Halloween outfits. She dressed as Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, a costume she made herself. The wings mechanically open with a wingspan of about 15 feet.

“I kind of get into Halloween,” said Randolph who makes her and her kids’ outfits. “I always wanted to make this. I grew up with my mom making my costumes. It’s just something that I carried on. I have a blast with it, it’s like Christmas. Halloween is a chance to be something that you can’t always be.”

“The creativity that some of these people have is unbelievable,” said Marietta Noon Lions member Steve Medley who volunteered as a judge.

Medley emphasized that they are trying to give the kids an alternative to being on the streets and when the weather is like it was this weekend, they encourage parents to take advantage of being indoors.

Jennifer Randolph, of Little Hocking, dressed as Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, a costume she made herself. (Photo by Doug Loyer)

“The Lions Club has been doing the Halloween parade since the 1940’s,” said Judge Randy Burnworth, a Lions Club member volunteering at Saturday’s event. “I walked in it in the 50’s and 60’s as a child and as a Boy Scout, It’s fabulous that it’s still going.”

Burnworth explained that the best part about the Halloween party is that it is the collaboration of several different service organizations.

After the costume contest, the trick or treaters then received treat bags and continued on to play games and enjoy a snack.

“We’re cooking up the hot dogs and we’ll have some chips, cookies and drinks for the kids,” said Dave Grimes of the Marietta Civitan Club.

The civic volunteers were not just adults. The Marietta High School Key Club (service club) helped out by manning some of the games. Iby Pugh, 17, of Marietta, was one of those volunteers. She helped at the dangling donut booth.

“I like volunteering. I’ve done this for the past seven years now,” said Pugh. “This event is one of my favorites. I love this one. I think that volunteering is good for the community, it’s good to be involved.”

Eric Michaud, of Marietta, had fun taking his kids to the party. His son, Remington Harris, especially liked playing the games.

“I think this Halloween party is great,” said Michaud. “My kids have been looking forward to this, they had a good time getting dressed up (Saturday) and they love the candy of course.”

Kara Pasco, 10, of Marietta, dressed as a marionette doll with complete with strings attached.

“This is fun,” said Pasco. “I like to see all of the costumes, but what I like best is the candy. My favorite is Twix.”

The 2018 Halloween Costume Winners

Funniest

1. Liam Wedig

2. Drake Dugy

Scariest

1. Bailey Roberts

2. Samara Heiby

Most Original

1. Audrey Porter and Ava Bartlett

2. Harmony and Raelynn Karcher

Best of Show

Harmony Karcher

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