(Photo by Brett Dunlap) Area children attended trunk or treat during MOV Trunk or Treat Saturday at the Washington County Fairgrounds. Participants decorated for Halloween.

MARIETTA — Families and their children appreciated the fun in a safe environment of the 37th Annual Halloween in the Park and MOV Trunk or Treat Saturday at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Marietta.

The afternoon started with Halloween in the Park, which organizer Connie Grimes said drew a lot of kids Saturday.

“We opened … at noon, and it has been a steady line all the way through,” she said.

The event started 37 years ago out of a concern for the safety of children as well as the safety of Halloween candy. It’s an alternative to parents taking kids out trick-or-treating by still having the candy, games and more while in a safe environment.

“We wanted them to enjoy trick or treat so if they can’t go at night, they still have the experience of trick or treat,” Grimes said.

(Photo by Brett Dunlap) Various people and organizations participated in trunk or treat Saturday during MOV Trunk or Treat at the Washington County Fairgrounds. Children came dressed in costumes and trick or treated at the numerous stations decorated in a variety of Halloween themes, including this pirate ship.

Trunk or treats have grown in popularity over the years with a number of such events held throughout the area, she said. Their numbers were a little down this year because of competing events.

“We still want to have this for the kids,” Grimes said. “If we still have 200-300 kids, that is still fine.”

The event was held at the fairgrounds’ poultry building so the weather wouldn’t matter.

Among cooperating organizers were the Marietta Civitans Club, the Pioneer Ladies Civitan Club, the Morning Rotary Club, the Afternoon Rotary Club, Zonta Club of the Mid-Ohio Valley, the Kiwanis Club of Marietta and the Lions Club.

The Kiwanis Club led a pumpkin craft station and the Marietta Community Foundation distributed free books from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Little Caesars was one of the event’s major sponsors and had a station set up to hand out candy.

The event started as Halloween on the Levee and grew to Halloween in the Park at Muskingum Park. It was finally moved to the fairgrounds six years ago to use an indoor location in case of bad weather, Grimes said.

“It truly is a community thing,” she said. “Everyone jumps in and helps.

“It is all about the kids and fun.”

The MOV Trunk or Treat followed at the fairgrounds, with organizer Kassandra Erb saying they had over 600 kids attend with around 20 stations set up handing out candy. In years past, they have had 30-45 stations, depending on the availability of different groups as some who had traditionally come were not able to this year.

In recent years, Erb said, not as many people are participating in traditional neighborhood trick-or-treat events, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic, with only a handful of houses on each block handing out candy in a number of towns.

“That is a lot of walking for kids when no one is passing anything out,” she said. “The kids get bored, and they are done with it.”

The event was started in 2020 during the pandemic as a way for kids to still be able to do trick or treat at a time when many social distancing measures were in place. She worked with health officials and had hand sanitizer stations in place to help protect people.

Now, it’s evolved into an event where families can bring their kids to a single location where safety can be maintained and have people handing out candy, where groups can put out Halloween decorations and where everyone could still have fun.

“It is more of a safe zone for kids to be able to trick or treat,” Erb said.

She worked with the Washington County Fair Board for the use of the space at the fairgrounds to create a community-themed event. She also reaches out to food vendors to come and they are not charged anything to set up.

A number of businesses and organizations also participate, including Walmart, Little Caesars and others. This year Paranormal Trinity of Vincent (paranormal investigations), COAD4Kids (adoption and foster care), Integrated Services for Behavioral Health and Path Behavioral Healthcare also had stations.

“There are definitely businesses that get involved and like to help out,” Erb said.

She hopes that the families who came out had fun together.

“I hope they got some enjoyment out of seeing the kids in costume and willing to provide for the kids,” Erb said. “Every year we draw out more and more people. I am all about the safety for kids. I want kids to have fun the safe way.

“We will definitely be doing it again next year.”

Penelope Conde of Marietta was with family and was able to get treats.

“I wanted to get candy,” the young girl said. “I like being around people.

“I have tons of friends.”

“She is a very outgoing person,” grandmother Heidi McKitrick said.

“I think this is wonderful for the community and for everyone to be on the same page,” McKitrick said. “It was wonderful to see such a good turnout.”

Kali Henrie of Parkersburg, who brought daughter Ariya, said an event like this was a chance to get the kids out and enjoy the festivities.

“I do like the games and the setup,” Henrie said. “It is definitely a plus on top of trick or treating.”

Kathy Wetz of Marietta brought her grandson, Tyson Bush of Athens, and was happy to have such an event available.

“I am definitely worried about the kids going out on the streets anymore,” she said. “I thought this was a safer thing. It is a great great great idea, it really is.

“You know they are safe, you see the people and you know some of the people so it makes you more confident to do it again.”

Serena Green of Marietta was among those handing out candy during the Trunk or Treat. She was dressed as Maleficent.

She said she has been participating in this event for five years.

“I love to give out candy to people,” Green said. “It is a tradition.

“Sometimes it is hard for people to go out far and go house to house. Here it is all in one place.”

She commended the games, having a variety of food available and being able to do it all in a safe environment that kids and their families can enjoy.

“The good thing is you don’t have to walk block after block,” Green said. “Here you just walk a circle.”

She said she was handing out around $600 in candy.

“It is just something I like to do every year,” Green said. “It really is a tradition.”