Celebrating Halloween in the Mat-Su safely

PALMER — Halloween has evolved a lot over the years, but its roots in mischief are alive and well. That’s why more parents, especially those with young children, flock to sanctioned events for a safer trick or treating experience over the traditional door-to-door approach.

“We don’t go door-to-door. We do the senior center and fire station every year,” Darlene Sperry, a Mat-Su parent, said at the annual Palmer Volunteer Fire Association Annual Autumn Harvest and Open House event.

The fire association’s event changes locations each year. This year, Palmer firefighters parked their big, red trucks next to the Palmer Train Depot. Inside the depot, scores of families meandered from booth to booth for candy, games and photo opportunities with the likes of Sparky the Fire Dog and Smokey the Bear. Admission was completely free for this event.

Sperry said that here 13-year-old daughter Mattison gets her picture with Sparky every year. She said this tradition is old as her daughter, all 13 years.

“I have pictures of her as a baby with Sparky,” Sperry said.

Mattison was covered in fake blood spackled all over her white lab coat. Her make-up made it look like the right side of her face was burned and the right eye was falling out of its socket, stem swaying as she explained her costume.

“I’m supposed to be a mad scientist. My experiment went horribly wrong,” Mattison said with a laugh.

She posed for photos with firemen, like Palmer Fire and Rescue firefighter Chris Walsh.

“I think we’re a crowd favorite,” Walsh said.

Walsh said that events like these are great ways for families to enjoy Halloween safely and get to interact with their local first responders.

“Who doesn’t like fire truck right?” he said.

Walsh said that Halloween in Alaska is dark, cold and filled with a flux of kids on and around the roads. He said these kids are at a much greater risk of getting hit by drivers than just about any other time of year. Now that there’s about 16 hours of darkness, he recommended children and their parents wear bright, reflective clothing and to stay vigilant to potential hazards like speeding cars.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com