A Ghoulish Hope Halloween

Pictured: Families crowd Unity Baptist Church for Trunk or Treat

Trick-or-Treaters filled the streets of Hope on Halloween night despite the rainy weather that day. We took a trip around town to check out and to report on some of the many spooky sites to see.

We began our scouting at the Unity Baptist Church “Trunk or Treat”. Upon arrival, we noticed the incredibly long line of children and parents flowing into the vast lineup of cars ready to give out sweet treats. In total, about fifteen to twenty cars showed up to give out candy, all decorated with amazingly creative Halloween displays. Among the crowd, we found Brother Jay overseeing the activity with an umbrella in hand just in case.

After about twenty minutes, we decided to move on to the next location. So on to First Baptist Church’s Fall Festival we went. Even with the massive amount of space for parking around the church, the lots were still packed. Being held in the First Baptist gymnasium, people young and old could find something to be excited about, with there being over a dozen frightfully fun games to play, and popcorn and hotdogs available for all of the guests. Some of the games and activities present included bowling, putt-putt golf, rubber duck fishing, face painting, balloon animals, and a station where kids could control robot vehicles. Getting into the action was First Baptist Pastor Daniel Bramlett, who was helping to make balloon animals for the kids.

Next, we went to check out the ghostly scenery in the Strong Addition behind the high school. The Strong Addition has long been renowned for being the pinnacle of Hope neighborhood halloween festivities. We took a look at some of the most notable of the houses in the area. First, we went to Barbara Childress’ house, where her son Gary has possibly had the best halloween yard decor around for years. On arrival we found a large crowd of kids as usual. Out of the kindness of Mr. Gary, he invited us inside their house for some impeccable chili. Following this, we went by the home of Mrs. Barbara Cox, long time resident of Hope. Here we found another long line of monsters and beasts eager to get candy. Mrs. Cox told us that she has been handing out candy for over 35 years at this address, and that they usually hand out 800 pieces of candy every year. We then checked out the freakishly festive house across from Hope High School on Main Street. The house was decorated to the max with a variety of spooky blowup inflatables in the yard, and more. Not only is this house one of the best decorated in town, we found the owners under the carport dispensing candy to those who came by. Although in years past, the neighborhood has usually been subject to bumper to bumper trick or treating, the weather might have contributed to a slight decrease from the usual amount, although the turnout was still great.

After the trick-or-treating was mostly all said and done, many of Hope’s residents then went to Hope Fair Park to experience the walk through haunted house located in the beef barn. Even in the dark of the night, hundreds of brave people waited in a long line to go through the exhilarating labyrinth of thrills. The experience was book ended with the traditional don’t drink and drive message sent by the horrific scene of a smashed vehicle set up outside.

All in all, even with the slight drop in trick or treaters around town this Halloween, the ones that went out on Saturday seemed to have just as much fun.