Halloween is once again on the horizon, filling the Golden Triangle with pumpkins, bats, ghosts, and all things spooky. While not everyone can get out on Halloween night, a week full of fall festivals and trunk-or-treats offer everyone a chance to get in on the fun.
From 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, Starkville’s Main Street will be taken over by Pumpkinpalooza, a massive Halloween celebration hosted by the Starkville Main Street Association and sponsored by Chick-fil-A.
Paige Watson, director for Main Street for the Greater Starkville Development Partnership, said this year’s festival will include the Hail State Spirit Squad, a fire truck to touch, trunk-or-treat stations set up by nonprofits and a pumpkin patch with free pumpkins.
“There’s just a lot to do,” Watson said. “It’s a great way to get people out downtown in our retail businesses and our restaurants, and a fun time for the kids. And it’s all free and very family-friendly and family-oriented.”
The palooza will also include the Talladegourd 500, Watson said, where pumpkins are put on wheels and race down the road starting at 6 p.m. at the MSU IDEA Shop. Watson said there are more than 15 entries so far this year, with registration starting at $25 per family and $50 per business.
“You decorate it to your liking, and then they put it on a chassis, and it races down a ramp in different heats, and then the winner gets $250 to donate to a local charity,” Watson said.
Watson said the road will be blocked off from 2 to 8 p.m. to give the festival time for set-up and clean-up and to keep festival-goers safe as they walk.
But Starkville doesn’t get to have all of the fun. In Columbus, Halloween will be taking over College Street from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday with the 10th annual downtown fall festival.
Amber Brislin, volunteer for the festival, said it is a joint effort coordinated by three College Street churches — Annunciation Catholic, First Methodist of Columbus and St. Paul’s Episcopal.
“It’s a way for the different churches to work together for a joint community outreach that we offer to anyone who wants to attend,” Brislin said. “With this being the 10th annual, it’s really gotten to be something that people look forward to every year.”
Brislin said the fall festival offers a massive trunk-or-treat opportunity, where anyone can walk down the road from car to car to get candy, along with a cake walk, a costume contest, a hall of saints and more.
The festival will be covering College Street from Third Street South to Eighth Street South. College Street will be blocked off from approximately 2 to 6:30 p.m.
Other Events
Halloween seems to be taking over every street, church and other organization in the Golden Triangle. Here are a few other Halloween-themed events going on this week. There’s sure to be something for everyone!
Halloween Art Market
Thursday, Oct. 26 @ 5-7 p.m.
Starkville
During Pumpkin Palooza on Main Street, the Starkville Area Arts Council will be hosting an art market featuring local artists. Works will be Halloween-themed.
Haunted Library
Thursday, Oct. 26 @ 4-6 p.m.
Columbus
The Columbus-Lowndes Public Library is once again hosting its Haunted Library from 4-6 p.m. The event will include storytimes, fair-games, candy and more.
Halloween Bash
Friday, Oct. 27 @ 4-6 p.m.
Starkville
The Starkville Public Library is hosting a Halloween Bash with 19-20 different activity stations for all ages. This includes an escape room, spooky trivia, a haystack search and more.
Wild Witches Ride
Friday, Oct. 27 @ 5 p.m.
Starkville
The Wild Witches Ride is a walk through downtown Starkville benefiting the J.L. King Community Center. The walk will begin in Fire Station Park. Attendees, dressed up as witches and wizards, will be walking through downtown and visiting different businesses along the way for raffle prizes.
Halloween Movie Nights
Friday, Oct. 27-Sunday, Oct. 29
Columbus
The Columbus Arts Council is hosting themed movie nights showing three Halloween movies at the New Princess Theater. “Nightmare on Elm Street” will be shown at 7 p.m. Friday, “Rocky Horror Picture Show” will be shown at 9 p.m. Saturday and “Hotel Transylvania” will be shown at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Meadowview Fall Festival
Saturday, Oct. 28 @ 5-7 p.m.
Starkville
Meadowview Baptist Church is hosting a fall festival, complete with bounce houses, a hotdog supper, cake walk, a photo booth, a hayride and more at 300 Linden Cir.
Downtown Cinema Series
Sunday, Oct. 29 @ 6-8:45 p.m.
Starkville
The Starkville Area Arts Council is hosting a downtown movie night at 128 South Jackson St. “Beetlejuice” will be shown.
Fairview Fall Festival
Sunday, Oct. 29 @ 4-6 p.m.
Columbus
Fairview Baptist Church will be hosting its free fall festival, including yard games, jumpers, prayer tents, tractor rides, sweet potato giveaways and more at 127 Airline Rd.
First Christian Harvest Festival
Sunday, Oct. 29 @ 5-7 p.m.
Columbus
First Christian Church will be hosting a harvest festival, complete with food, fun, games and a trunk-or-treat for the whole family at 811 N McCrary Rd.
Monster Dash
Monday, Oct. 30 @ 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Starkville
Mississippi State University’s Student Association is hosting a Halloween-themed 5k benefitting the 2017 Class Gift. The race will be starting at Chadwick Lake by the Sanderson Center. Admission for the 5k is $15. The race will also be followed by a “Little Monster 1 Mile” for kids, with admission of $10. For more information, go to https://www.raceentry.com/monster-dash-/race-information.
Trunk or Treat
Monday, Oct. 30 @ 5:30-7 p.m.
Starkville
The Starkville Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a trunk or treat event at the Starkville Sportsplex. The event includes door prizes, costume contests, free candy and more. It is free to participate.
Boo Parade
Tuesday, Oct. 31 @ 10 a.m.
Columbus
Children from First Methodist Early Learning Center and St. Paul’s Episcopal School will be trick-or-treating from downtown businesses. Business owners are encouraged to wear costumes while giving out candy.
Light the Night Trunk or Treat
Tuesday, Oct. 31 @ 6-8 p.m.
Starkville
Starkville Church of God will be hosting a trunk-or-treat, including food, fun and prizes.
Editor’s Note: This is an incomplete running list of Halloween events happening in the Golden Triangle this week. To add your event to this list or submit your event for possible publication in our calendar, please email [email protected].
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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