Thousands of adults and children gathered in costumes at South Delsea Drive Park in Glassboro for a trunk or treat, handing out and receiving candy in the Halloween spirit.
Alongside the decorated cars and displays, the event that took place on Wednesday, Oct. 22, from 6 to 8 p.m. featured bounce houses, a DJ, a haunted house, a food truck, and emergency services.
“All of us together as a community decided to come down here to really make it an event,” said Megan Varrel, a media manager from Glassboro.
This event is the third annual trunk-or-treat hosted by the city of Glassboro. Before, the police, fire, and economic development departments each held separate events. However, three years ago, they merged each into one larger event.
“We did that three years ago to have a bigger and more impactful event that’s more than just a trunk-or-treat,” said Varrel.
They expected about 1,500 people and 40 displays to show up, according to Varrel. But once it was over, some placed total attendance closer to 2,000, though a few attendees thought this was below average.
“For the past couple of years, this is less than average,” said Donna Grow, a retired office manager from Glassboro.
The immense turnout could be seen in the line, which extended hundreds of feet with an hour-long wait, though wait times varied throughout the evening.
“We just got here, but my dad came and saved the spot for us. So he was waiting for an hour … usually it’s best to come before they open and just wait in line,” said Erin Decker, an ultrasound technician from Washington Township.
Families enjoyed the event, citing the vibrant and thematic trunk decorations and a family-oriented atmosphere.
“It’s lovely. Everyone’s having a good time,” said Grow.
Decker thought it was fun for everyone, in particular the children. She specified the Chick-fil-A stand as a stand-out part.
“It was really fun, really cute. And Chick-fil-A comes, and you get free stuff,” said Decker.
Those who brought displays came for myriad reasons. One display owner, Julia Beach, a freshman CSI major at Salem University, loved seeing the costumes. Her display followed a fortune-telling and magic theme.
“The kids are so cute, with all their little costumes. You look at them, and they’re so adorable,” said Beach.
Towards the end of the trunk-or-treat, city employees picked who they thought had the best display, the reward being a basket with gift cards. This year’s winner, Glassboro Republican city council candidate and hair stylist, Kristen Dutch, won last year, too.
“We just want to give back to the community,” said Dutch.
The bounce houses were hosted by Empire Events, and the DJ was Danny Montgomery from New Day Entertainment.
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