Halloween fell on a Monday this year, but Mount Rainier enjoyed a full weekend of events.
Friday night was Trunk or Treat. Police cars, parked in the lot of the Mount Rainier Nature Center, offered candy from the trunks, and costumed youth enjoyed the chance to trick-or-treat without crossing streets or walking in unlit areas. Added fun came from a DJ playing party music, a pumpkin patch where families could pick out a free pumpkin, and a small haunted house.
“Turnout was fantastic,” says Mount Rainier Police Officer Gerson Cruz, who organized the event. He adds that significant credit is owed to MRPD Explorers Post 1910, a group of youth who meet every Tuesday to develop their leadership skills and explore ways to serve the community. These Explorers donated the candy, set up the haunted house and pumpkin patch, and helped keep the event running smoothly.
Saturday afternoon saw Mount Rainier’s annual Halloween Parade. A city truck was decorated to serve as a parade float, and City Hall employee Gabriela Farmer was asked to ride it. Her co-workers chose her spontaneously as they agreed her impressive costume, a Day of the Dead outfit, made her a terrific choice for the spotlight. “It never crossed my mind that I was going to be up there greeting the residents of the city,” says Farmer. “But it was a very fun experience.”
Hundreds of costumed celebrators, young and old, marched behind the truck before ending with a gathering to enjoy free juice, hot chocolate, chicken nuggets, and other refreshments. Children played while adults socialized. Costumes ranged from superheroes to slasher villains. Families even coordinated: parents dressed as beekeepers with children dressed as bees, or a mom dressed as a ghostbuster and her baby dressed as a marshmallow man.
Asked about her favorite memory of the event, Farmer says, “The costumes! The effort that some parents put into the costumes of their children and themselves. The smiles in the parade. I think the event turned out very nice.”