Several events held to make for a safe, scary Halloween
Photo: The lines were long to get candy and treats during the Halloween Scare on the Square on Oct. 31 at Southaven’s Silo Square. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
By Bailee Harris
This Halloween was a treat for residents of all ages in the DeSoto County community, as various businesses and organizations joined forces to host many trunk-or-treating events.
Over the weekend on Saturday, Oct. 28, Latimer Lakes Park hosted their Halloween Spooktacular. While the night was rainy, the trick-or-treating activities persisted. Trunk-or-Treat booth winners included Vintage Church, Horn Lake Optimist and Horn Lake Neighborhood Watch, and the DeSoto County Dream Center.
Northwest Mississippi Community College and the University of Mississippi DeSoto campus welcomed the community into their building with their annual Halloween Spooktacular on Monday, Oct. 30. Their partnered event provided indoor trick-or-treating for the community, with booths set up by campus clubs and organizations.
Kacy Dixon, Coordinator of Student Services for Ole Miss DeSoto, stated, “This is one of our favorite events! We love having the community on campus and seeing all of the excitement in the building.”
Silo Square was the place to be on Halloween night. The Southaven Scare on the Square was the largest Halloween event in DeSoto County, and provided early treats for the children, a Trunk-or-Treat contest, and Touch-a-Truck with local Fire and EMS.
“Southaven Scare on The Square surpassed all expectations, transforming Silo Square into a Halloween haven bringing our community together in a celebration creating memories,” said Andrew Bartolotta, Southaven Young Professionals president. “With the support of our amazing community and dedicated organizers, this event was an example of how, in the spirit of Halloween, we can create moments that unite and thrill while providing a safe environment for thousands of DeSoto Countians. We look forward to building on this success for many more Halloweens to come!”
Other businesses also participated in this Halloween season, including Conxion Gym and Moore’s Financial Group.
Church Trick-or-Treats included participation from Cockrum Community Church, First Presbyterian Church, Broadway Baptist Church, Crossroads DeSoto, Bethel United Apostolic Church, and Carriage Hills Baptist Church.
Elijah Speck, Youth Group pastor at Carriage Hills Baptist Church, says, “We at Carriage Hills try to be a part of the community to be able to share the love of Jesus with others…We want to be impactful in the community and help those who have not found Christ find their way to Him so they can have the good and abundant life that is found in the Lord.”
Halloween in DeSoto County was a success, thanks to the dedication of local businesses, organizations, and volunteers. The trunk-or-treats provided a safe and enjoyable space for the community to come together and celebrate this spooky holiday.
Note: Bailee Harris is a journalism student at the University of Mississippi-DeSoto and a contributor to DeSoto County News.
