Halloween fest plans coming together

The traditional Halloween fest activities are still in the planning stages, but organizers anticipate another successful night at the end of October.

The festival has been fixture in Prince Rupert for almost twenty years now, an opportunity to provide a safe environment for youngsters on Halloween, with a number of activities planned for the Civic Centre and Earl Mah Aquatic Centre.

In addition to the games and treats, the always popular fireworks program is planned for that evening at 8:15 pm.

The organizers are still looking for volunteers and details on the nights events and how people can help out were provided in Friday's Daily News.

Festival targets fun as its main ghoul
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Friday, October 05, 2007

Nearly 20 years after it's inception, organizers of Prince Rupert's Halloween Fest hope to once again put together a successful event, but they will need help from the community.

As Halloween quickly approaches, Constables Rebecca Scarlett and Jana Starr, along with other volunteer organizers, are trying to rally even more community support, although the generosity shown so far has been great.

"Every year, we donate money and it gives the police a good start," said Manny Richards, one of many Moose Lodge men who helped raise $750 for this year's event.

"It's important for the children, and that's what the Moose Lodge is all about."

Similarly, Ladies of the Moose donated money to help fund another fun-filled Halloween for Prince Rupert youth, and representative Adella Eliuk knows that making the night safer for everyone is important.

"It's very much needed, because we need to keep kids entertained and off the streets."

Joy Sundin has been helping to organize Halloween Fest since the idea was first conceived, and believes it's still needed for the same reasons that it was a good idea 20 years ago.

"There was a need in the community due to the vandalism and the property damage, so a few people got together and asked 'What can we do?'" explained Sundin. "The police came on board, and right off the bat it just mushroomed.

"We built it to have the youth groups and older students in the community come and put the event on, so they get the idea, the attitude and atmosphere that this is a day of fun for children and for them to give something back to their community."

In 2005, the RCMP was pleased to report only 15 minor calls on Halloween night, most of which calls that did not even end up as files. Instead, nearly 5,000 packed the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre for a night of frightful fun for people of all ages.

This year's Halloween Fest is scheduled to include many of the familiar activities of past years, such as a haunted house put on by Treena Decker and a group from the Harbour Theatre, a Haunted Swim in the Civic Centre pool, a dunk-tank, pizza and pop, as well as enough candy to supply every kid in Prince Rupert.

"We're still trying to organize more volunteers and donations in order to coordinate all the events we have planned," said Constable Starr. "We're really looking for all the help we can get."
There will be a bus running throughout the evening to take everybody to and from the civic centre, and the Prince Rupert Fire Department will be playing the pyro-technical role and setting off the big fireworks display scheduled to commence at 8:15 p.m.

Volunteers are encouraged to attend the next Halloween Fest Volunteer Committee meeting at noon on Wed. Oct. 10 in the Community Policing Centre in the lower level of city hall.

Kids are also encouraged to call the Halloween Fest hotline at 62-GHOST, where they can suggest ideas for games or activities they'd like to see at this year's event.