JERSEY: Cold snap doesn’t stop Halloween Festival
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By Cory Davenport
This year’s Jerseyville Halloween Festival presented by the Jerseyville Public Library endured last Saturday morning despite the recent cold snap.
Jerseyville Public Library Director Judy Pruitt said around 100 people participated in the event’s family-friendly costume contest for the top prize of prestige and $30. Previous years, however, have seen as many as 600 people participate. Pruitt attributed the weather to the dramatic decrease in participation.
“It was 80 degrees yesterday,” she said. “Now it’s rainy and cold. It’s much colder than it was last year.”
Despite the unfriendly weather, those who did participate went the extra mile; cobbling and crafting unique costumes based in horror, pop culture, and general whimsy.
“Every year, the costumes are amazing,” Pruitt remarked.
She also said as many as 300 kids received trick-or-treat bags from Royal Banks of Jerseyville. These bags were gladly filled by several participating local businesses who manned stations on State Street. Families could walk down Jerseyville’s main drag and fill those bags with candy all morning.
“It’s a real cooperative effort among a lot of our merchants,” Pruitt said of the trick-or-treating through Downtown Jerseyville.
Those who endured the frigid drizzles were also treated to bounce houses, arts and crafts managed by the Jersey County Arts Council, and hot dogs and refreshments. A haunted hayride was also provided by the City of Jerseyville, who allowed the library folks use of the city tractor to ferry folks about town. It was piloted by Jason Jones of the city’s cemetery department.
Overall, despite the weather dampening attendance this year, Pruitt and her team of volunteers from across the community felt they provided a fun experience for the area’s kids and their families in the face of unseasonably cold, and unfortunately damp, weather this Halloween.
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First, second and third place costume contest winners in the infant-preschool category.
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First, second and third place costume contest winners in the k-2nd grade category.
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First, second and third place costume contest winners in the 3rd-6th grade category.
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First, second and third place costume contest winners in the 7th-adult category.
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First, second and third place costume contest winners in the group category.
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First, second and third place costume contest winners in the pop-culture category.
