Lee County’s Lakes Regional Park Fall and Halloween Festival continues through Oct. 31
The 2015 Fall and Halloween Festival opened at Lakes Regional Park on Oct. 16 with all participants gathered to celebrate their entries in the Scarecrows in the Park contest. The NBC-7 morning crew, Clay Miller and Rachel Pierce and Alise Flanjack, Deputy Director of Lee County Parks & Recreation were the celebrity judges for the Scarecrows in the Park displays. Businesses, organizations and schools determined their own theme and built scarecrow displays for the two week event. The displays are whimsical, artistic and clever representations of a theme that makes a statement for the sponsor.
This year, Harns Marsh Elementary School won the Best Youth Over-All Display with their “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” depiction of the bridge where Incabod Crane met the Headless Horseman. Riverside Realty and Staging Matters, owned by Tara Malloy, named their display “Minions Strike Back” and won for the Best Business/Organization Created Display. Riva del Lago Condo Association won the award Best Overall Display with their “Wicked Air” that features a miniature airplane adorned with skeletal figures and appears to be taking off with a wind powered propeller. The creativity of Lee County residents is abundant and they all seem to come together for this much enjoyed event in Lakes Regional Park.
On Oct. 26, the Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation, organizers for Scarecrows in the Park, will count the ballots that have been cast by all of the residents and visitors to the event. Peoples’ Choice Awards are then announced and everyone that views the displays enjoys selecting their favorite and voting. Prizes donated by NBC-7, Wheel Fun, Train Ride, Salty Sam’s Waterfront Adventures, Salty Sam’s Pirate Cruise, Parrot Key Caribbean Grill, Rib City and Bahama Breeze Island Grille. Other sponsors of the Festival are Galeana Automobile Group, Key West Express, Fast Signs, Coastal Properties, Sunrise Rotary, Cornerstone Coastal Properties and Stevie Tomatoes Restaurants.
The Fall and Halloween Festival also features visits from “Way Too Tall Torrie”, a face painter, inflatable bounce structures, the Halloween Express train ride, pumpkin house, pumpkin patch and hayrides. The festival is a great family fun event that is open 6-10 p.m., weekdays and 10 a.m. 9 p.m. on weekends through Oct. 31.
The Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation, a non-profit organization, assists Lee Country Parks & Recreation through philanthropic and voluntary efforts enrich Lakes Park and enhance the community’s enjoyment of this natural resource. A state-of-the-art fitness trail has recently been added. Current focus is the development of the Children’s Discovery Garden, another step in development of the proposed 18-acre botanic garden.
Volunteers are still needed during the event. To volunteer call 239-839-7919 or email Andrew Payne at apayne@leegov.com. If you would like to participate in 2016 as a business or organization email scarecrowsinthepark@gmail.com. For more information on Lakes Park visit www.LeeParks.org or call 239-533-7575. Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation information can be found at www.LakesPark.org or by calling 239-603-8904. Lakes Park is located in south Lee County at 7330 Gladiolus Drive, Fort Myers.