Trunk or Treat in Gardnerville on Tuesday evening.
Traditionally, there are a lot of rattling bones and ghostly footsteps on Halloween that can give anyone a good scare and Douglas County had plenty from Minden to Gardnerville with trick-or-treaters and Fright at the Fairgrounds.
Thankfully, the Douglas County Library had the perfect story Tuesday during storytime to frighten away anything spooky, “Just say Boo!” by Susan Hood.
“If a flickering grin gets under your skin, what you do you say, Boo!” read a passage in the book.
The story teaches young trick-or-treaters how to dispel fear in a favor of fun with rhyming passages and colorful illustrations from dinosaurs roaring at the door to skeleton groans and more.
After story time, children from Allie and Friends Daycare trick-or-treated through the library receiving books, fruit gummies and a rubber duck.
“We do it just for something fun for the kids to do,” said Douglas County Library Director Tim DeGhelder. “I think they like showing off their costume more than anything.”
On their way back to school, the preschool stopped by the fire station where East Fork paramedics Justin Tenney and Kit Harland greeted the trick or treaters.
“This is our eighth year doing the Harvest Walk and we always can’t wait to do it all over again each year. It’s a special day for all of our families to join as well,” said Allie and Friends Director Harmony LaFrance.
In Gardnerville, Trinity Lutheran Preschoolers showed off their costumes with a parade around the neighborhood, then created Halloween crafts.
After school let out, the real witching hour began, starting off at the Douglas County Fairgrounds for the Sheriff’s Office Trick or Treat Safety Street.
Safety Street was created to give families an alternative safe and fun Halloween event while helping to support special programs run by the Sheriff’s Office including the K-9 Unit and the Search and Rescue team.
The event used to be held at the CVIC Hall in Minden, before moving to the Douglas County Fairgrounds in 2019.
“Since moving it here, we get a lot more foot traffic and we can fit more vendors too,” said retired Capt. Joe Duffy. “Families enjoy going through the haunted maze without it all scary too. Overall, it’s just a lot better.”
Children who attend not only trick-or-treat from local businesses, but are eligible to win a book, bike, scooter or skateboard. Entries for best costume and best decorated booths are awarded first, second and third place prizes.
The best booths were awarded to Partnership Douglas County for first place, Douglas County Social Services in second and the Carson Valley Swim center took third.
The best costume winners will be announced in The Record-Courier print edition on Saturday.
“It was a very good turn out this year, we had between 500 and 600 kids attend,” said Deputy Mariah West.
West said 21 vendors passed out candy and there were 30 paid sponsors. She said Walmart donated candy and toys, Raley’s and Trader Joes donated bags.
Later, once the trick-or-treaters had dispersed the lights in the warehouse turned off and the sinister whispers from the Overlook Hotel beckoned visitors to stay forever and ever and ever at Fright at the Fairgrounds.
Like Safety Street, Fright at the Fairgrounds is made possible by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and is a fundraiser to help support special programs and other charities in the community.
This year’s maze featured scenes from Steven King’s “The Shining” and “It" and visitors had to choose a fate of “not so scary,” “scary,” and “very scary,” each providing a different experience through the maze with fright at every corner. Fortunately, many escaped without going insane.
