By Mary Goldmeer
Mail

The City of Goodyear will host its annual Fall Festival 5-9 p.m. on Oct. 26 at the Goodyear Ballpark, 1933 S. Ballpark Way.

 This free event will feature activities including bounce houses, a movie screening of the 1995 version of "Casper," a DJ dance party, costumed characters, and a haunted trail. The haunted trail is staffed by volunteers from Goodyear's youth council and from the Estrella Falls High School Drama Club. 

"We rely heavily on our volunteers," said Natalie Reinen, Goodyear's festival and events coordinator." Community members are so important. They are the ones that actually make the magic of the event happen."

Attendees are encouraged to wear costumes for a chance to win prizes in various contests, which will be judged by Goodyear's mayor and city council members.

"We love to have our city officials involved and they love to judge every year," said Reinen.

The costume parade will begin at 6 p.m., with awards for Best Adult, Best Group, Best Child, People’s Choice, and Best Overall. Each winner will receive a gift card ranging from $50 to $100.

Guests can also enter a Carved Pumpkin Contest by bringing a pre-carved or decorated pumpkin for a chance to win a $100 gift card.

There will be 14 tents staffed by community organizations passing out 250,000 pieces of candy on the baseball field. There will be a limited number of bags being distributed, so attendees should bring their own for collecting treats if they can, Reinen said. 

"We’re placing an emphasis on being more inclusive, so we are looking forward to participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project," Reinen said. "We'll be providing alternatives for people who can’t have candy, so they still get to participate."

The Teal Pumpkin Project is an initiative aimed at raising awareness for children with food allergies during Halloween by offering non-food treats, such as toys or stickers, alongside traditional candy. This project helps ensure that all children, regardless of their dietary restrictions, can participate in Halloween festivities safely Reinen said.

Visit goodyearaz.gov for more information.