The weather was chilly and a little gloomy as the sun continued its quest to stay above the clouds throughout the day. But, with winter right around the bend, residents decided to wrap up the little ones, put on the hats and gloves and venture out to partake in the four-hour festivities.

 

The event always kicks off with the 5K/1K pumpkin fun run through the scenic wooded 100-acre trails at city park. Many people dressed run-friendly while others wore costumes and fall, Halloween and harvest attire.

 

All the while the race was going on, the park alongside and behind the pavillion was full of entertainment and fun for adults and kids of all ages. There were games, inflatables, face painting and prize giveaways.

 

New Recreation and Leisure Assistant Joshua Kuha was on hand to see first hand how a successful event put on by BCC staff would run.  He observed, took mental notes and visited with many people and introduced himself.

 

One of the fun children’s booths featured a scavenger hunt in which children bought a ticket and were given 30 seconds to scrounge through piles of dry hay to find prizes and candy buried beneath.

 

There was also Spin Art, gravity ball, a duck pond and “guess the size of the pumpkin” games.

 

There were also hayrides and pony rides from 11 a.m. to 1:50 p.m.

 

Delicious chili, hot dogs and chips were served inside the pavillion and many other area businesses and individuals volunteered to help with the annual event.

 

Another helpful feature was the shuttle to and from the park to the north end of Pebble Creek’s parking lot.

 

Chamber Secretary Lynette Brannan braved the cold to ensure people got on and off the buses in a safe manner.

 

Prizes and medals were awarded to the top three male and female finishers per age category (six categories) and a trophy was handed out for the top team finisher in the 5K race.

 

“This is a great community and a great event here in Becker,” said Kuha.