Halloween Heaven

PALMER — Pirates, Piglets and princesses, oh my.

Ghoulish families from around the Matanuska Valley slithered into Halloween Hollow in Palmer Wednesday, giving families an excuse to dress up in their favorite costumes and cash in on quick and easy candy rewards.

For four hours, Raven Hall was transformed into Halloween heaven at the Alaska State Fairgrounds. Halloween Hollow attracted those looking to fill up goody bags, play an array of games for prizes and see others dressed up in style.

“We’re having an udderly good time,” said Molly Moo the cow, standing next to a glowing patch of pumpkins.

Moo, along with her friend Mary Moo from Matanuska Maid, greeted patrons as they came into Halloween Hollow, selling booth tickets and accepting toys donated for the Toys For Tots program. The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community.

Overall, 35 local businesses and supporters of Toys for Tots loaded tables with sweet treats and games for kids. For one ticket per booth, kids could play easy-to-win games to receive their goodies at each booth and table.

Northrim Bank gave out spooky balloons. Wasilla Veterinary Clinic employees offered kids a chance to fish for prizes from their cauldron.

Alaska Family Services occupied a popular face-painting booth, while over at the Providence Matanuska Health Care booth, employees helped kids throw plastic vegetables into a cardboard pirate’s mouth.

Providence showed kids the benefits of nutrition, with a twist of fun, using the motto: “A vegetable a day keeps the pirates away.”

A line formed quickly at Tin Can Alley, where prizes are won when a stack of cups are knocked over with a baseball.

Dracula darts and a haystack obstacle course also gave tiny tikes plenty to do and win.

“I’m a pretty princess,” said Klara Hamby, 4, dressed in glittery pink-and-purple attire.

Popular choices in kids’ costumes Wednesday night for the boys included Capt. Jack Sparrow from “Pirates Of The Caribbean” fame; girls weighed in as fairy witches and royalty.

Parents conversed with friends, but for the kids, Halloween Hollow was all about the candy.

At the Lion’s Club table, R.C. Crockett and Paul Felthauser were handing out sugar-free candy, a rare sight in a sea of sweet.

“Some kids are diabetic,” Crockett said. “We wanted to make an alternative available to kids who might not get to enjoy the holiday otherwise.”

Renee Paredes brought her two grandsons, Romeo and Cassanova, to show off their costumes and bag up on Halloween treats in a controlled environment.

“I like it here,” Paredes said. “There are people we know from our community, and more importantly, it is safe for the kids.”

Paredes said that as times change and crime goes up, having an indoor Halloween option, other than door-to-door trick-or-treating, is crucial.

“This is a necessity,” she said. “When I was a kid, we’d go around and get popcorn balls and candy apples. You can’t trust people today, with the needles and razor blades you hear about.”

Sherry Schulz of Big Lake disagrees.

Schulz, who arrived at Halloween Hollow with her granddaughter Serenity, said trick-or-treating can be very safe and that parents should be involved if concerns arise.

“It’s up to the parents to step up with trick-or-treating,” Schulz said. “The problem I always ran into with Halloween with my kids was the weather being so unpredictable. So this is a warm and good place for the kids, plus it’s for a good cause.”

Devan Howard, a 10-year-old skeleton with blood-drenched ribs, stood in line to shoot out small candles with a water gun at the IBEW Local 1547 booth.

Howard wanted that candy.

“I’m good at shooting guns,” Howard said. “This is my second time through!”

His mother was along, dressed as a big mouse — whiskers, ears and all.

“She embarrassed me at school when she came in to pick me up,” the skeletal Howard said.

Danielle Howard heard of Halloween Hollow from a friend at work and showed up because she is fairly new to her neighborhood and trick-or-treating there.

“I’m not as familiar with the people yet,” she said. “It’s easier to come where there’s a lot of people, and it is safer here by far.”

Contact J.J. Harrier at valleylife@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.