A hay bale maze for kids will make a return to Abrams Park as Ridgefield Art Association’s Halloween Hall is set for this weekend.
Randall the Pirate hands out information about Ridgefield Art Association’s Halloween Hall, which is slated for this weekend at Abrams Park
Ridgefield’s Abrams Park is gearing up to be a hotspot for all things Halloween as the return of the Halloween Hall is slated for this weekend.
The event, helmed by the Ridgefield Art Association, is back for another year with a little expansion and once again, a lot of community help.
The centerpiece of the event is the titular hall, which transforms a building at the park into a venue for volunteers and association members to show off their seasonal creativity with a notably spooky theme.
Though some other Halloween attractions in the area might put a premium on blood and gore, Ridgefield Art Association Vice President Maureen O’Reilly reiterated that this was a family-friendly event, looking more into the gore-less spectacle of Halloween than going for gross-out reactions.
“(Expect) pirates, witches, snakes, spiders, that kind of thing,” O’Reilly said.
The aforementioned pirates are a particular draw, as O’Reilly said a group goes all-out in kit and character as pirates, and in some instances they stage a swordfight within the hall, depending on who is passing through.
O’Reilly said the first event went “very well” in no small part to a lack of the seasonal Pacific Northwest rains. She estimated a little over 320 patrons took part in the hall over its two-night run.
For this year O’Reilly said there are more tents to expand the offerings, as well as the addition of Fire and Ice Concessions to provide food for the event.
Although the hall itself shows off the creativity of local residents, it isn’t the only draw for those looking for fall entertainment. Vancouver-based dance academy Dancefusion Northwest will be back, performing their flash mob-style performances with a Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” theme at 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. both nights.
The flash mob idea was the impetus of the whole event, O’Reilly said, mentioning that Art Association President Patricia Thompson was particularly interested in taking part in such an activity.
The event getting started also benefitted from another opportunity, as around the time the association was dreaming up the event, Agave Denim was moving their warehouse out of the city. During the move they donated two industrial-size bolts of dark material, which made for the perfect walls that help frame the hall.
O’Reilly said the donation was “instrumental” in getting the event up and running.
Apart from the association’s mission of promoting local arts and artists, O’Reilly said the Halloween Hall has also become a fundraiser for the group. The event also highlights the work of community volunteers, ranging from the Friends of the Ridgefield Library offering hot cider and popcorn, to the Ridgefield Garden Club helping to decorate a hay bale maze.
Ridgefield High School also gets in on the action, as the RHS Art Club has put in hours designing their own part of the hall, O’Reilly said. Sports teams are also integral, she added, mentioning that the Spudders football team are the first boots on the ground, moving out tables from the building that will become the hall.
The RHS wrestling team is also helping out this year, setting up the hay bale maze, O’Reilly said. From volunteers associated with the city, the different Ridgefield advocacy groups and even the school district pitching in, O’Reilly said it was a goal to have a wide-ranging level of involvement.
“I try to get as many community organizations as possible to be a part of this thing,” O’Reilly said.
