"Before Dark" Celebration of Halloween at Vern Allen Park - Community Sharing @ Its BEST!
- ejreporter
- 25 minutes ago
- 3 min read
It's hard to imagine that the Washingtonville Event Committee could outdo itself once again with its Before Dark Event, which emphasizes a Halloween suitable for families and especially for young children...especially just a week after their enormous After Dark Halloween Special. The "scary" Halloween stuff may have been toned down a little on Sunday, but that did not take one ounce away from the joy and community bonding it grew. For one thing, the costumes were by far the best I have ever seen... (one grown man riding a very realistic dinosaur) and the main reason it was so special was the ear to ear smiles, laughing and warmth (even when sometimes the food lines and Trunk or Treat lines went halfway across the Park). Attendees just made the most of it, chatted and made new friends and hugged old ones. The weather certainly helped, it being true Fall with the leaves having turned their beautiful Hudson Valley colors, temperature hovering around 70 degrees with sunshine and a light breeze. One thing that was especially heartwarming was the number of tiny infants and toddlers. Another was that quite a few people with some special challenges got a chance to have fun and show off (one young boy showing off that he knew the names of Snow White and her Dwarf crew). Just check out this little one and you can get a sense of the huge gathering of littles, bigs, creatives and friendly small businesses.
First Halloween, and it's already SOOO much fun!
YES SIR!
And the Pumpkin helped the chicken
become appropriately suited up.
We are all children at heart, and no one knows
how to help people have fun more than Magdalena,
Owner of Amada's Kitchen. She is so proud to have
designed this poster herself. AND she had lines and lines of
people coming to taste their incredible variety of foods.
At Amada's Kitchen, Magdalena always has something going on
Birthday parties, Sip and Paints, Dancers, you name it. But the
No. 1 reason people go to her restaurant at Fulton Square is....you guessed
it, the food is incredible. And its right in a beautifully decorated double
section of the main building at Fulton Square (plus a large Veranda)
and is adjacent to the future Schunnemunk West Rail Trailhead. The
lines for her offerings at Before Dark were non-stop.
As you can see, at Patience and Faith Customs they have the
ability to help customers with exceptionally creative projects,
including but not limited to Tee Shirts, Journaling Books,
Photos, Promotional Materials and more.
A few of Patience and Faith's Custom Tees made
for this Halloween
Sisters...ready to go collect the candies
Celtic Valley Carriage took visitors on peaceful and beautiful
Fall carriage rides through Vern Allen Park.
Toned down a little for the children it was different kind of fun
from last week's Witchingtonville where the carriage had a skeleton in the back
and the horse was covered in beautiful twinkling lights
Franny Levy, of Celtic Valley Carriage & Farm, keeping a close eye
on her beautifully behaved horse, and talking to those waiting for a
ride, about horses and training and life on a farm Franny
has taught thousands to ride over her equestrian professional years.
The small business community made use of a great
opportunity to entice new customers, whether crafts,
food, or services.
Is that the Puff Pastry Boy?
YES, you can still play Halloween when you get a little older
Lines for the food, lines for Trunk or Treat and Lines for the giant slide.
But it was all friendly and fast-moving.
Food Please! Food Please! All this fun works up an appetite.
Even the "Trunk or Treat offerings were exceptional.
Isn't she SCARY?
By Edie Johnson
Executive Editor
Orange County Courier Journal