Contributed by Katie Stavick
Smoke from a nearby campfire hung in the air, the skies dappled grey, and a chill lingered through the forested grounds. Remnants of Mother Nature’s wrath littered the ground after she had whipped up a windstorm the prior evening. And as darkness loomed, pirates, mad scientists and a kraken were just a few of those laid in wait, ready for the inevitable onslaught. Soon, there hidden from the highway trolled ghosts and goblins, pirates and...unicorns?
Those were just a few of the trick or treaters that could be found at the 3rd Annual Houston Trunk or Treat this year. After the wind had felled trees and knocked out power to many residents, volunteers from the Houston Fire Department, Public Works, and the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission turned out to host the Trunk or Treat event.
What makes this event different from other Trunk or Treat events is that theirs takes place in the Little Su Campground. Children and families have room to really go all in when setting up their spaces, they have options to keep the late October chill at bay by having a campfire (small and supervised of course), and more opportunity to interact. In coordination with Public Works and the Houston Fire Department, Houston has carved out a different experience. Instead of a parking lot, the city takes advantage of a much safer, more unique, and sometimes muddier setting to provide children and families a unique Halloween experience.
What began three years ago as a response to no trick-or-treaters coming by, the City of Houston Parks and Recreation reached out to the residents and hosted the event. The first year, the Trunk or Treat had families from Houston, nearby Willow and Big Lake, and some from as far as Caswell come out and planning began that very night for the next year. Although COVID-19 pandemic response and protocols hampered the expansion ideas, volunteers still came out in true Alaskan fashion, bearing the 13-degree chill. So many families attended that some had even run out of candy! The number of attendees nearly doubled, and Parks and Recreation knew they had something.
This year still provided obstacles from the windstorm that Halloween weekend that had knocked out power for many residents in the Houston, Nancy Lake, and Willow areas. Organizers decided to go forward and the families enjoyed having an opportunity to get out and have some holiday fun, and plans are underway for next year with hopes to expand the event and bring more families out to Houston.
