Violette Watkins was remembering what it was like as a child 30 years ago when she gathered candy and encountered a ghost or two on the Waukegan Park District’s Trick or Treat Trail, as she walked it with her own children.
Watkins said it was a nighttime event and spookier when she was a youngster. Now, it is held during the day and there are a lot more people participating. She liked what she experienced both in her youth and now.
“It’s very nostalgic,” Watkins said. “I don’t remember all these people. Everything is so well done. It’s become much larger, and the costumes are more creative.”
Watkins and her children were among more than 3,000 people who attended and traversed the Park District’s annual Trick or Treat Trail Saturday in Bowen Park, as youngsters collected candy and other treats with thoughts of adding to their haul Thursday on Halloween.
Participants — nearly all of the children were in costumes, and many of the parents as well — waited in a long winding line in the parking lot before venturing along the trail. Some costumes were exotic, and others were handmade.
Once inside, people walked along several paths encountering the likes of Princess Belle, Buzz Lightyear, Princess Jasmin, a scarecrow, a Lego Superman, a professor, the Park District’s own mascot Parky, Cookie Monster and more handing out treats. No tricks were observed.
After encountering the characters along the trail, the families entered a darkened haunted house and came face-to-face with a variety of creatures along the way. For most children receiving a treat from one of the characters, there was an adult taking pictures.
Julia Sanchez, a recreation supervisor with the Park District who oversaw the event, said most of the characters were actors dressed and provided by an agency, other than Parky and Scoopy from Culver’s.
“It’s really awesome today,” she said. “This was a good way for people to walk through the park and enjoy a celebration of Halloween. It was great to see the families out here and all the costumes.”
Maria Ramirez of Waukegan brought her two daughters dressed as princesses, and five nephews clad in inflatable dinosaur costumes that dwarfed her and her girls. She said the dinosaur outfits came with a pump and a fan. The boys saw out of a small window well below the head.
“They wanted to be dinosaurs,” Ramirez said. “It was fun getting them ready.”
“It’s kind of hot inside,” said Angel Solano, one of Ramirez’s nephews.
Elias Giraldo was celebrating his second Halloween. At 19 months, his mother, Joanne, said a year ago he was unaware of the situation, but this time dressed as Nemo he liked the candy and appeared a bit apprehensive in the haunted house. She and her husband, Alex, were also in costume.
“This year, he is seeing it all and taking it all in,” she said.
Linda White of Lake Forest was unaware of the event when she brought her daughter, Angelina, and a friend, Layla James, both seventh graders, to a play rehearsal at the Jack Benny Center. When she returned after the rehearsal, the girls let her know about it and wanted to participate.
“They sent me home to get their costumes,” White said.
Angelina said when she left the rehearsal, she saw a parking lot full of frogs, sloths and a very tall scarecrow.
“We saw all the costumes,” Layla said. “We got excited.”
Along with trick-or-treating, Sanchez said there was music from a deejay, and once participants finished walking the trail there were a variety of booths where a group of businesses and community organizations offered information.
