By Teresa Howell
Signal contributor
Wear your Halloween costume, bring a bag to hold the candy and get ready for the early Halloween Trunk or Treat party the First Presbyterian Church of Newhall is holding Oct. 19.
First Presbyterian is hosting two hours of fun on its campus, which is located at 24317 North Newhall Ave., from 4 to 6 pm.
“We are inviting the Santa Clarita Community to help us celebrate. And it is all free,” said Lelia Meadows, associate children’s director of the church. Meadows added that the First Pres church family wants to have a fun and safe place for children to celebrate Halloween with family and friends.
Emily Morrow, the individual in charge of planning the Trunk or Treat party, said the church’s grounds are being transformed into a Halloween playground.
“Our church campus is being divided into three main areas — parking lot for the Trunk or Treat, gazebo and bench area for the hot food, and playground for the games,” Morrow said. “The kids can start wherever they want, but most kids start with the Trunk or Treat. Kids love getting the candy, and they have a great time looking at all the decorated car trunks.”
Morrow said the car trunks are decorated into all sorts of Halloween themes, and some trunks are decorated with Star Wars or Snoopy or Christmas themes. Next to the trunk-or-treating in the parking lot, Morrow said the s’more station is the next most popular activity.
“This is where the kids get to roast marshmallows over a campfire,” Morrow said. “When the marshmallow is just right, they put the mushy marshmallow on a graham cracker, put a piece of Hershey chocolate on top, and then squish everything together with another graham cracker. They love it.”
Games and the costume contest are also popular, according to Morrow. Last year, Morrow said, the two most popular games were the pumpkin stomp and spider launch.
“The kids were crazy about them,” Morrow said. “It was fun watching the kids and parents run around stomping on orange balloons for the pumpkin stomp, and then launching spiders with a spoon into big webs for the spider launch.”
The highlight for many kids is the best costume contest, according to Morrow. She said that last year there were a lot of inventive and creative costumes, and she expects the same this year.
In addition to the Trunk or Treat candy parade and games, Morrow said church members are cooking up “spooky” chili and “crunchy” corn bread to fill hungry bellies.
“We will also be serving drinks and dessert, too,” Morrow said. “We want the kids to eat as much as they want. It is our way of ensuring that the kids in our community have a safe and fun Halloween.”
In the same area as the food, Morrow said there would be a photo booth. “Free Halloween pictures for everyone,“ Morrow said. “The kids will love putting on the funny hats and taking pictures. We want them to have a picture memory of this year’s Trunk or Treat.”
Morrow said she hopes the Santa Clarita community does not miss First Pres’ Trunk or Treat. “This is the time when our church family goes all out,” Morrow said. “Our church campus will be one big humongous Halloween playground, and the kids will have the run of the whole area for two hours.”
