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Greet and Treat grows
Wayland sees crowds grow as the Halloween event adds more to do each year
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
WAYLAND — With crowds wrapping around the block eager to make their way down West Main Street for the fifth annual Greet and Treat in Wayland, the event’s growth was on full display last Thursday, Oct. 24.
Not only has attendance of trick-or-treaters grown over the five years of the event, but so has the quantity and quality of participating businesses and organizations and activities.
Halloween themed music blasted over the city speakers as families from Wayland and surrounding towns came together to enjoy the nice fall weather, play games, and gather treats at the event. As treaters waited to grab their bags to collect their goodies, they voted on the best pumpkin carving and chatted with their neighbors in line.
JT Sips and Iowa Bred set up shop by the park to offer refreshments for purchase. Wayland Fire Department offered firetruck rides, complete with sirens. Henry County Sheriff’s Office and Wayland Police Department greeted children and gave out goods.
“We’ve been here all five years,” Lindi Jepson said. “It gets better each year. There are always more and more kids each time. They added bounce houses last year and now we’ve got face painting.”
The whole Jepson family looks forward to the event each year. Jepson’s daughters, Bristol and Carti Jepson, dressed as an inflatable giraffe and unicorn, said they particularly enjoyed face painting this year, but couldn’t wait to get some time in the bounce houses.
Much like the Jepson family, Eichelberger Farms attends every year. This year, they dressed up one of the Eichelberger trucks in a Willy Wonka theme as they handed out treats.
“This year seems huge,” Brad Eichelberger said. “It is a lot bigger line of kids!”
That fact became obvious as the line of treat-seekers continued to make its way down Main Street even after the official end time of 6:30 p.m.
Justin Stein with BTS Sanitation echoed Eichelberger’s assessment saying, “This year is honestly a little busier than last year.”
While Stein has found his tried-and-true trunk-or-treat costume as Oscar the Grouch in a BTS dumpster, his set up has grown over his years participating. The dumpster features spider webs and he was joined this year by Meloney Stein as Elmo.
When Mya Donaldson and Kylie Miller, dressed as Elmo and the Cookie Monster, saw Oscar, they knew they needed to get a photo with their Sesame Street character friends.
“We saw him, and we were like, we’re twinning!”
It is connections like those found with these Sesame Street characters, organizations greeting people by name, and conversations throughout the street that continue to make the Wayland Greet and Treat successful every year.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com
