Halloween in Gunn Park Saturday evening

The Gunn Park Committee has conjured up a festive new Halloween event this weekend in Fort Scott.

The first-ever Halloween in Gunn Park is scheduled to take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the park, located at 1010 Park Ave. Much like the Christmas in the Park event that takes places each year in December, the park will be decorated for the Halloween holiday, and festival-goers will be able to board hayrack rides, enjoy refreshments, and participate in other Halloween-related activities, committee member Diana Mitchell said.

The event is primarily designed to give local children a way to enjoy Halloween festivities locally, Mitchell said.

"We thought the kids needed another avenue (to enjoy Halloween)," she said.

Buses will transport passengers from the old Mercy Family Physicians parking lot into the center of the park, where a variety of holiday-related activities are scheduled to take place for people of all ages, Mitchell said. People can then stay and enjoy the festivities, or board hayracks to tour the park and view the decorations inside the park. Buses will then take passengers back to their vehicles at various times throughout the evening.

Pumpkin carving, face painting and a costume parade are just a few of the available activities for young children to enjoy. Children may also listen to humorous Halloween stories told by area volunteers, Mitchell said.

Teenagers and adults who are looking for entertainment with an added fright (and who are brave enough) may take a hayrack ride deep into the park for a tour of the Haunted Cabin and Forest. The ride offers plenty of surprises in store for the courageous at heart. While there is no admission charge to enter the park, there will be a $2 fee for those wishing to travel through the Haunted Forest, Mitchell said.

The concept for the Gunn Park event was a spin-off from the creation of the Christmas in the Park event about four years ago by committee members and city officials.

The committee receives donations of time, effort and money from the City of Fort Scott, the Boy Scouts, local businesses and other volunteers in the community to put on these events.

Halloween in Gunn Park will feature plenty of entertainment options for the community, she said.

"People can spend a lot for a little, or they can (come to the park) and spend a couple of bucks and have hours of fun," she said. "They can come down to look at the kids in their costumes, see some decorations, and just enjoy the park."