Copperas Cove neighborhoods, groups offer Halloween events
By BRITTANY FHOLER
Cove Leader-Press
Although the city’s annual Fall-O-Ween Festival was cancelled, Covites still have options for celebrating, from traditional door-to-door trick or treating, trunk or treating and even Halloween events at local businesses.
Traditional door-to-door trick or treating is encouraged between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 31.
A group on Facebook, Copperas Cove Trick or Treat 2020, is dedicated to identifying houses and neighborhoods where residents will be handing out candy.
Abigail Benson-Freeman and her husband set up a zipline system in their front yard on Easy Street as a fun and safe option to hand out candy to any trick or treaters. She shared a video of the zipline system in the Facebook group.
“My husband and I have put a lot of work into it as well as made it fit the theme of our Halloween decorations,” Benson-Freeman said.
The Freemans have Nightmare Before Christmas themed decorations in their front yard, including a blow-up Oogie Boogie and a wooden Mayor as well as Jack Skellington and other characters Lock, Shock and Barrel. The ghost dog Zero is attached to the zipline, carrying the bucket for the candy.
Benson-Freeman said that they originally started with a remote car battery and fishing line before deciding that 550 cord and a pulley system would be better for the weight they were trying to send down the driveway.
“I’ve talked to a lot of different moms who are worried about trick or treating, and so I wanted to find a fun, safe way for kids to still get candy,” she said. “I think it’s important because I remember as a kid Halloween was one of my favorite holidays, there was nothing better than dressing up and going door to door to get candy. I feel like kids today are limited by what they can and can’t do already, so why add more to that list when there are a multitude of different things we can do as adults to make Halloween as enjoyable as it was when we were coming up.”
The Freemans’ house will offer candy as well as separate allergy-friendly bags for kids with nut allergies.
Other streets with homes offering candy include Lucas Street, Northern Dancer Drive, Timmons Drive, Joseph Drive, W. Hogan Drive, Deorsam Drive, Barber Drive, Veterans Avenue, Liberty Lane, Bermuda Street, Jason Drive and John Henry Drive.
Other options for trick or treaters include a drive-thru Trunk or Treat at First Baptist Church, on 300 W. Ave B, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The Copperas Cove VFW Post #8577 is also holding a Halloween event for children, including a costume contest. The event, open to the public, begins at 10 a.m. and will include arts and crafts, games, face painting/hair coloring and a cake walk for ages 12 and under. Tickets for activities are 25 cents each. Kids are encouraged to bring their candy bags and buckets to collect candy. Hot dogs and nachos will be available for purchase as well.
Decor and More will be holding a costume contest and having candy vendors at its celebration on Halloween, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Central Texas Gellyball will be holding its final Zombie Hunt on Halloween from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., offering people a chance to shoot gellyballs at zombies on an obstacle field at 420 County Road 3390, Kempner. Admission is $7 per person, with half of the proceeds being donated to Bikers Against Child Abuse.
The Fred T. Venable VFW Post # 3393 and Camp Cowboy will be offering family friendly activities, including a haunted trail and maze, on Oct. 30 and Oct. 31 at 424 County Road 4931 in Kempner, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and younger.
For adults, the Fred T. Venable VFW Post #3393 in Kempner is also hosting an adult Halloween party, with live music and drink specials as well as a costume contest with a $100 prize for first place and $50 prize for second place.
In Copperas Cove, FUBAR is holding a costume contest and pumpkin carving contest as well at 10 p.m.
Camp Caylor is holding a Nightmare Before Hogwarts event, combining Halloween, Nightmare Before Christmas and Harry Potter, with live music and themed drinks, starting at 8 p.m. on Halloween.