Liberty County will experience its own “thriller night,” Friday when Hinesville Downtown Partners presents its second annual Scarecrow Stroll and Beggars Night from 4-8:30 p.m. A steady crowd of adults and children are anticipated to attend this year as last year.
“I gave out 500 bags of Cracker Jack in the first 30 minutes, only to children,” Hinesville Downtown Development Authority executive director Vicki Davis said. “With that in mind, we estimate at least 1,000 to 1,500 (participants) per hour.”
The family-friendly event was brought back last year after not being held for a number of years, Davis said.
“In a Hinesville Downtown Partners meeting last summer (2009) a long-time merchant suggested we bring back the downtown trick-or-treat event that was held annually years ago,” she said. “The plans quickly came together adding additional activities such as the scarecrow stroll and pumpkin decorating. Businesses found it to be a fun way to promote their business as well as bring people downtown. We were careful not to call it trick-or-treating since the community’s trick-or-treat activity is on a different night and we did not want anyone to be confused and send children out into the community knocking on doors.”
Hinesville and Fort Stewart announced traditional trick-or-treating will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30 this year since Halloween falls on a Sunday.
“Our goal for the event was to give downtown businesses an opportunity to engage with families,” Davis said. “The feedback we received varied from parents attending the event as an alternative to the community trick-or-treat — especially for the very young ones — to those who attended to kick-off a weekend filled with fall and Halloween activities.”
During the Scarecrow Stroll and Beggars Night, downtown businesses will offer treats for children from 4-6 p.m. Folks can tour the historic and “haunted” old Liberty County Jail from 6-7 p.m. and watch a live performance of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” dance at 6:15 p.m. in Main Street Park. Dancers are welcome to participate. Storytelling will follow at 6:30 p.m. in Main Street Park and at 7 p.m. the Hinesville Area Arts Council will show the movie “Casper” outdoors. Bring chairs and blankets for the showing.
In addition to these activities, children can busy themselves with arts and crafts, hunt for toys in the hay and have their photographs taken.
Pumpkin decorating is a make-and-take craft sponsored by The Heritage Bank for first 250 children, Davis said. Uncommon Grounds coffee shop will sponsor a pumpkin carving contest, she added. Brewer Christmas Tree Farms also will provide free hayrides.
The Coastal Courier newspaper will photograph children during the event. Families can also submit photos for the Courier’s online costume contest on the newspaper’s website, www.coastalcourier.com, under “contests.”
Contest coordinator Connie Parker said the top vote-getters will receive prizes. Photos can be submitted online from Oct. 28 through Nov. 6 and the online voting period is from Nov. 7-13, Parker said.
As for the scarecrows on display, no one should be scared.
“Traditionally, scarecrows were a fun way to ward off pests and animals from invading gardens using recycled materials from around the house, like broomsticks, old clothes, gloves, hats, something for the face and hay for the trim,” Davis said. “Scarecrows today are not much different, using recycled materials and creative design. Last year’s scarecrows ranged from a fisherman, to a reporter, to a likeness of Drew Cole, of Uncommon Grounds.”
In addition to the Scarecrow Stroll and Beggars Night, the fifth annual Liberty County Fall Festival will be held from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday on the grounds of the Liberty County Armed Services YMCA on Mary Lou Drive in Hinesville. Admission is free and activities include games, a costume contest for children and adults, the Liberty County Fire Department smokehouse, pony rides, arts and crafts, live entertainment and hot dog and pie eating contests.
For more information about the fall festival, call Christina Anthony at 368-9622.
“I gave out 500 bags of Cracker Jack in the first 30 minutes, only to children,” Hinesville Downtown Development Authority executive director Vicki Davis said. “With that in mind, we estimate at least 1,000 to 1,500 (participants) per hour.”
The family-friendly event was brought back last year after not being held for a number of years, Davis said.
“In a Hinesville Downtown Partners meeting last summer (2009) a long-time merchant suggested we bring back the downtown trick-or-treat event that was held annually years ago,” she said. “The plans quickly came together adding additional activities such as the scarecrow stroll and pumpkin decorating. Businesses found it to be a fun way to promote their business as well as bring people downtown. We were careful not to call it trick-or-treating since the community’s trick-or-treat activity is on a different night and we did not want anyone to be confused and send children out into the community knocking on doors.”
Hinesville and Fort Stewart announced traditional trick-or-treating will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30 this year since Halloween falls on a Sunday.
“Our goal for the event was to give downtown businesses an opportunity to engage with families,” Davis said. “The feedback we received varied from parents attending the event as an alternative to the community trick-or-treat — especially for the very young ones — to those who attended to kick-off a weekend filled with fall and Halloween activities.”
During the Scarecrow Stroll and Beggars Night, downtown businesses will offer treats for children from 4-6 p.m. Folks can tour the historic and “haunted” old Liberty County Jail from 6-7 p.m. and watch a live performance of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” dance at 6:15 p.m. in Main Street Park. Dancers are welcome to participate. Storytelling will follow at 6:30 p.m. in Main Street Park and at 7 p.m. the Hinesville Area Arts Council will show the movie “Casper” outdoors. Bring chairs and blankets for the showing.
In addition to these activities, children can busy themselves with arts and crafts, hunt for toys in the hay and have their photographs taken.
Pumpkin decorating is a make-and-take craft sponsored by The Heritage Bank for first 250 children, Davis said. Uncommon Grounds coffee shop will sponsor a pumpkin carving contest, she added. Brewer Christmas Tree Farms also will provide free hayrides.
The Coastal Courier newspaper will photograph children during the event. Families can also submit photos for the Courier’s online costume contest on the newspaper’s website, www.coastalcourier.com, under “contests.”
Contest coordinator Connie Parker said the top vote-getters will receive prizes. Photos can be submitted online from Oct. 28 through Nov. 6 and the online voting period is from Nov. 7-13, Parker said.
As for the scarecrows on display, no one should be scared.
“Traditionally, scarecrows were a fun way to ward off pests and animals from invading gardens using recycled materials from around the house, like broomsticks, old clothes, gloves, hats, something for the face and hay for the trim,” Davis said. “Scarecrows today are not much different, using recycled materials and creative design. Last year’s scarecrows ranged from a fisherman, to a reporter, to a likeness of Drew Cole, of Uncommon Grounds.”
In addition to the Scarecrow Stroll and Beggars Night, the fifth annual Liberty County Fall Festival will be held from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday on the grounds of the Liberty County Armed Services YMCA on Mary Lou Drive in Hinesville. Admission is free and activities include games, a costume contest for children and adults, the Liberty County Fire Department smokehouse, pony rides, arts and crafts, live entertainment and hot dog and pie eating contests.
For more information about the fall festival, call Christina Anthony at 368-9622.