FELLSMERE — Fellsmere ghouls and goblins descended on the parking lot at the Old Fellsmere School in search of sweet treats and fun during the city’s annual Halloween Celebration Friday.
A couple hundred children dressed as menacing monsters and pretty princesses and super heroes in the hope of filling their bags and buckets with their favorite candies and having the weekend to wear off the sugar rush.
Seven-year-old twins Colby and Corey dressed as the Dynamic Duo – Batman and Robin – and, no, the boys didn’t fight over who would be which character.
“Colby likes Batman,” Corey said. “I like Robin.”
Their dad, Brian Carlisle, said he was surprised the boys worked out the costumes as they did, noting he expected an argument to arise.
Carlisle said the Fellsmere Trunk-or-Treat would be the first of two trick-or-treating outings for the boys. The next time will be on Halloween itself when the boys go through their neighborhood knocking on doors.
The Trunk-or-Treat, sponsored by the Fellsmere Beautification Committee, served as an early opportunity for the Fellsmere Police Department to reinforce Halloween safety tips with both children and adults.
Officer Jeff Gibbs provided these tips for trick-or-treating:
- Parents should go with their ghouls and goblins or otherwise make sure their children travel in groups;
- Children should use flashlights and have reflective tape on their costumes to ensure drivers see them in the dark;
- NEVER eat candy that has not first been inspected – candy wrappers should be intact with no tears or holes. As for homemade candy and treats, only take it from neighbors you know.
- Drivers, too, need to be mindful of the creatures and characters that will take to the streets at dusk and to drive more carefully.
The prime Halloween trick-or-treating hours – though not officially established – are between 6 and 8 p.m.
Officer Gibbs said participating in the Halloween Celebration serves as a way for children to meet police in a non-threatening setting.
“It’s always great for the children to know the police are their friends,” he said.
Among those participating in the “trunk” part of the Trunk-or-Treat was 10-year-old Shalynn, who spent three days crafting a fiendishly frightening trunk display complete with numerous skeletons, body parts, and other details.
“I just wanted to do it for fun,” Shalynn said as her mom, Dana Parks, took over handing out candy. Halloween is one of Shalynn’s favorite holidays – the other being Christmas.
This was the first year the Parks family participated in the Trunk-or-Treat and wanted to support Shalynn when she brought it up.
“She worked really hard,” Dana Parks said.
Beautification Committee member Amber Cerda said the event was made possible through community donations and volunteers who helped spread the word about the celebration.
“That’s the hardest part,” she said of getting the word out.
Cerda brought her Chihuahua, Sophie, out to the celebration to participate in the Chihuahua (Small Dog) Costume Contest. Dressed as Frankenpup, Sophie ate up the attention as children stopped by seeking candies from Cerda.
While many of the vehicles participating in the Trunk-or-Treat were decked out in typical Halloween garb, the Lowe and Nikituk families decided to go with a non-threatening beachy theme, complete with towels and boogie board.
“The girls are having fun,” Renee Lowe said of her two daughters, the two Nikituk girls and their friend, all of whom are members of Sebastian Has Hip Hop.
The girls – Lexa, Taylor, Kayelynn, Nikole and Kayla – wanted to participate in the celebration and so the van was decorated and they disappeared into the crowd to get their candy, leaving their parents – Renee and Bill Lowe and Andy and Deborah Nikituk – to hand out candy to the other sweet-toothed creatures.
