Rains earlier in the day didn’t dampen spirits for families attending Lakeland’s Halloween Festival on Saturday. The skies cleared, city personnel set up the event in the field behind city hall, and an estimated 250-300 people attended from 5 p.m. through 9 p.m.
Hosted by the Lakeland Parks and Recreation Department, the event drew children and adults with pumpkin decorating, inflatables to climb on, a pumpkin patch, vendor row, a bake sale, giveaways from local businesses, and contests for costumes, pumpkin pie eating and pumpkin carving.
Robbie Spencer, the city’s new parks and recreation director, brought the event to the city and is pleased with the community’s enthusiasm and enjoyment.
“All the kids had a great time, and I think the parents were blown away by what they could offer them,” he said.
An unrelated seasonal event, the Lakeland Family Fall Festival at the Delta Blues Winery in Lakeland, had to be cancelled on Sunday when the weather took a turn for the worst. The event, hosted by the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce, will be rescheduled as a spring event in April. Watch for event updates on the chamber’s page at facebook.com/lakeland.com or the chamber’s website at mylakelandchamber.org for updates.
