Freehold Spooktacular Hails Halloween's Approach

Windows of Freehold businesses will be painted with pumpkins and ghosts. Homeowners will put their creativity to the test designing scarecrows. The Halloween spirit overtaking the area can only mean one thing: the 16th annual Freehold Spooktacular is coming to town.

The month-long event will feature haunted hayrides, window painting, scarecrow and jack-o-lantern judging, and Halloween parade and costume contest. The festivities will begin Oct. 1 when cornstalks are tied to trees in town. On Oct. 11, art students from the six high schools in the Freehold Regional High School District will paint Halloween murals on storefront windows.

The haunted hayrides will take place on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Halloween Spooktacular Committee member Billy Anderson said the group is seeking volunteers to assist in entertaining riders.

“This year we want to step up our game and include as many haunters along the route as possible,” Anderson said. “I’m issuing an all points ‘boo-letin’ for the walking dead, creatures of the night, wicked dancers, ghosts, skeletons, and other creepy creatures to sign-up for a fun day of frightening and amusing unsuspecting hay riders.”

The 2011 Freehold Spooktacular’s scarecrow designs have expanded beyond neighborhoods to include individual scarecrow exhibits by area organizations and businesses. However, only neighborhoods will be eligible for the Applebee’s gift certificates that will be awarded to winners.

Participants will receive lumber courtesy of on Throckmorton Street. Streets taking part in the contest must have three homeowners displaying decorated scarecrows, which will be judged Oct. 15 during the haunted hayride. Individual groups and businesses designing scarecrows must have there piece ready for pick-up by Oct. 14 so it can be displayed along the hayride route. In addition, the winning scarecrow will be displayed in the Halloween parade, according to Manny Rivera, a member of the Spooktacular Committee.

“To encourage more participation, the ‘Best in Town’ scarecrow will be put on a float, along with the winning creators, for the Spooktacular Parade on Oct. 30. Plus, the winner receives dinner for four at the American Hotel,” Rivera said.

The Spooktacular Parade will begin with a costume judging contest from noon to 12:45 p.m. near Freehold Raceway parking lot. Mike Pantina of Total Sound Entertainment will provide free music and entertainment during the costume contest. At 1 p.m., parade participants will head along Main Street and end at the Hall of Records parking lot, where the winners of the costume contest will be announced.

For more information on the 2011 Freehold Spooktacular, visit the event’s Web site.