Haleyville Fall Festival October 28

HALEYVILLE     -  What began as a drive-through trick-or-treat event at Haleyville City Hall with Mayor Ken Sunseri and city employees in costumes, has expanded this year into a fall festival at the Heart of Haleyville Park and Main Street Saturday, Oct. 28.
“We’re having our first fall festival here in the downtown mall,” Haleyville Area Chamber of Commerce President Mike Evans stated. “There are a lot of things going on that day.”
“We’re excited about having numerous businesses, industries and churches involved in our fall festival,” pointed out Sunseri. “That creates an opportunity for our children not having to go home-to-home to trick-or-treat.
“This gives them an opportunity to come down here on Main Street.  There will be plenty of goodies for all the kids,” Sunseri added.
Plans for the fall festival were announced at the September Chamber meeting by Haleyville City Hall Employee Katie Tidwell, who is on the Heart of Haleyville Park committee.
The festival, which will be from 3-6 p.m., will feature food trucks, a community trunk-or-treat, as well as live entertainment and activities, will be free to the public, Tidwell said.
Along Main Street, vehicles from churches, businesses, organizations or individuals who wish to have a decorated entry or a decorated booth in the trunk-or-treat, will be lined up, organizers said.  Applications for these trunk or treat entries or a booth can be found on the Heart of Haleyville Park Facebook page.
Set-up for booth spaces or vehicles for the trunk-or-treat will be from 12-3 p.m., according to Tidwell.
“Everybody needs to be set up by 3 p.m.,” she said. “That is when it will start.  We don’t want any more cars coming down there past 3 p.m.”
This will be the central location for children, with costumes encouraged, to get candy from 3-4 p.m.
This fall festival will replace the traditional drive-through trick-or-treat at Haleyville City Hall, Sunseri said.
“With the people we had (at City Hall), we were getting crowded. This will be an opportunity for children to walk through downtown. We want to emphasize our downtown and get more activity downtown.”
Those with booths along Main Street can keep their places throughout the duration of the festival, which will last until 6 p.m., according to Tidwell.
“No vendors for this (festival) unless you sell food,” Tidwell pointed out.
The deadline to sign up for a booth or trunk-or-treat space is Friday, Oct. 13, according to organizers.
“We will determine after that where everyone needs to be placed,” noted Tidwell. “We want to fill it up.”
Several contests will be held during the fall festival, such as pumpkin carving. Rules are that the pumpkin needs to be brought pre-carved to be displayed in the alley where the downtown amphitheater sign is located on Main Street, organizers said.
“You need to have your pumpkin there by 3 p.m.,” noted Tidwell.
QR codes will be set up, so the public can vote for their choice of best carved and decorated pumpkins, according to organizers.
Businesses are also being encouraged to decorate their storefronts with a fall theme for the festival, organizers said.
There will  be contests for the best decorated vehicle for the trunk-or -treat, as well as a separate contest for the best decorated booth, she added.
Awards for these contests will given out at 5 p.m.
At 6 p.m., the costume contest will be held at the stage in the park, for not just children but also adults dressed for Halloween. Costumes should be family-friendly, organizers stressed.
Food trucks will also be in the downtown area for the fall festival, with a deejay playing music throughout the event.
Plans are for the Dixie Theater to then show a Halloween movie for the public which will start after the costume contest awards.
A smores table will be set up near the park where families can roast marshmallows over a fire, organizers said.
“We certainly appreciate all the work that has gone into the fall festival,” Sunseri said. “It will be an exciting time for all involved.”