BENTON — Celebrity sightings, buckets of candy and spooktacular fun are just a few of the tricks up the sleeves of members of the Downtown Benton Business Owners Association as they prepare for the 11th annual Spook City, set to take place from 5-8 p.m. Saturday.
The trick-or-treating event will kick off the holiday season in Saline County, with six blocks in downtown Benton being closed off for games, rides, inflatables and more. Area churches, businesses and other groups will set up booths to pass out candy, run games or entertain even the smallest of Halloween-goers.
“On things like Spook City, everyone comes together and works together,” said Joyce Robinson, co-chairwoman of Spook City. “It’s an opportunity for kids to safely trick-or-treat. I think a lot of parents are hesitant to let their kids just go up and down the block to trick-or-treat. It’s also a low-cost alternative for a lot of parents. You can come dressed up, trick-or-treat, get tons of candy and not spend a dime, or you can spend a very small amount of money and have a great time without ever leaving your hometown.”
This year’s event is gearing up to be the largest in Spook City history. Benton’s own Triple Threat will perform at 7 p.m. in front of Regions Bank. The Saline County trio rose to fame after performing on Season 10 of America’s Got Talent last year. The group, made up of Caleb Conrad, Tyler Davis and Will Richey, will release their Christmas album, Holiday Harmony, featuring five Christmas songs. After the performance, the guys will sign autographs and pass out candy to fans. And keeping with the holiday spirit, Triple Threat’s booth will be next to none other than Santa Claus, courtesy of Benton Mayor David Mattingly and his wife, Nancy.
“We always have characters like the Star Wars stormtroopers,” Robinson said. “We have members of the Police Department who dress up like Batman and Captain America and Anna and Elsa. The Travelers’ mascot is supposed to be there, and Ronald McDonald will be there this year. The mayor’s foundation sponsors Santa Claus every year; it is special to him and his wife. We thought it was odd the first year we did it, but it turns out the kids really love it.”
Creating a safe, fun environment for the kids is what Spook City is all about. In addition to live music and favorite characters for even the youngest trick-or-treaters, the event has a costume contest, large inflatable bounce houses and obstacle courses, mini-hoops basketball and T-ball inflatables, a rock-climbing wall, two trains, a pirate-ship carnival ride and a mini Ferris wheel.
Unlimited use of the inflatables on the courthouse lawn, along with unlimited train and carnival rides, can be purchased for $5. The rock climbing wall will be a small, additional fee. Tickets for one ride can be purchased, along with the unlimited-use wristbands, at any of the safety-check stations located throughout the downtown area. Churches and businesses will also host free games and activities. And of course, trick-or-treating is free.
Last year’s plans for the 10th anniversary of Spook City fizzled out as the original date and rain date were both canceled because of, well, rain. The Downtown Benton Business Owners Association rescheduled the event for early November to pass out the candy that had been bought but has no plans for a second rain date this year.
In the event of bad weather, the rain date has been scheduled for Oct. 24. The Spook City and Downtown Benton Events Facebook pages will be updated if and when a decision has been made to cancel the event. For now, organizers are hoping for the best and looking forward to the entire community coming together to put on the best Spook City yet.
“This year, we have the Mopar Auto Club, which is a huge addition,” said Wanda Posey, co-chairwoman and the association’s president. “They’re going to park behind the courthouse, and kids can trunk-or-treat at all of those cars. They have some Halloween-themed cars, the Green Lantern, a Casper car and a Tinkerbell car. They really go all-out decorating with music, lights, everything. [Spook City] brings 5,000 to 8,000 people to town. It’s just a great family night. There’s something for every age group.”
The Downtown Benton Business Owners Association is a nonprofit, and Robinson said what little profit they might make off armbands and the climbing wall goes right back into the funds that also support the Christmas parade in December, among other events. The majority of funds for Spook City come through donations of individuals, organizations and businesses in Saline County.
“We just want to see our downtown flourish and not be like so many other downtowns, where you see closed-up buildings,” Robinson said. “We like to keep things current and lively, and open up a little more of downtown to people who don’t normally come down here.”
In addition to the fun and games, several downtown restaurants and businesses will remain open during Spook City for the convenience of festivalgoers. Streets will be closed off around 4 p.m. Saturday, and no parking will be allowed on the closed streets.