Iola and Allen County will be abuzz with Halloween activity starting this weekend.
The Allen County Young Professionals aren’t waiting until Monday to start doling out candy.
They will set up shop at the intersection of Jefferson and Madison avenues from 6 to 7 p.m. Friday for their annual “Trunk or Treat” candy giveaway.
Most who show up will have adorned their trunks or vehicles with Halloween decor as they hand out candy to passing trick-or-treaters.
THE FESTIVITIES hit high gear on Saturday evening with the annual Shocktober celebration and Frightfully Fun Run sponsored by the Iola High School After-Prom Committee.
Shocktober kicks off at 5 p.m. at the Recreation Community Building at Riverside Park and promises fun for children of all ages.
Inflatable attractions, a hay maze, spook house, games and other prizes run from 5 to 8 p.m.
The Iola Elks will serve dinner.
A wristband, garnering free access to all activities costs $5 apiece, or tickets to individual attractions are available at four for $1.
One note: because of the inflatable attractions, children are urged not to wear costumes. There will be no costume contest, nor will there be a Jack-o’-lantern carving judging, organizers said.
For more information, contact the Iola recreation office at 365-4990.
THE AFTER-PROM Committee’s Frightfully Fun Run begins at about 10 p.m. on the west side of the courthouse square.
Costumes are welcome there, and judging starts at 10:30, along with wheel barrow races and a cake walk. All of those activities are free.
The race starts at 12:01 a.m. Sunday morning and follows the same route as the Charley Melvin Mad Bomber Run For Your Life, passing through Highland Cemetery along the way. The race is a certified (code KS10017BG) route.
The wheel barrow races will have age categories, best decorated wheel barrow, three-person teams and best team theme.
For more information, contact Stephanie McDonald at (620) 228-2792.
THE FUN culminates on Monday — Halloween night — when youngsters go door to door in search of candied treasures.
Motorists are urged to exercise extreme caution in residential areas, particularly as the sun sets for the evening.
Iola’s three elementary schools will have Halloween parades Monday morning. Jefferson Elementary School’s kicks off at 8:15, Lincoln Elementary’s at 8:30 and McKinley Elementary’s at 9 o’clock.
