ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
The spooky season is upon the area, and the Liberal Police Department would like to help be part of that.
The 2024 Arkalon Trail of Terror will take place from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19 at Arkalon Park (11123 Arkalon Park Road) east of Liberal on U.S. Hwy 54. Tickets are $10/person or $25/person for a Fast Pass, and multiple vendors will be on hand, including Lynnies, 2 MOMs, LLC, Sweet & Simple Designs, and Kaptured Photo Booth Experiences.
As LPD Community Police Coordinator Dalanie Underwood tells it, last year’s went very well in spite of some minor hiccups.
“Participation as far as scare spots started out a little tough. We typically have a good amount of community support willing to come out and set something up, however, last year we did not. We had to rely solely on our staff at the LPD, which has its own challenges,” Underwood said. “Due to staffing issues, we cut the trail down from two days to one day. It was an extremely tough decision, but ultimately it seemed like the only feasible option. We ended up having an amazing turnout. Our staff put all they had into that one night and they did a fantastic job. We had a lot of positive feedback from the community on how great the spots were. In the end, we didn’t lose really any business with it being one night only. We will have some great vendors out there this year. Lynnies and 2 MOMs, LLC are coming out to serve up some delicious food throughout the night and Sweet & Simple Designs will be selling some sweet treats and a variety of other items. Want a way to remember the night? Stop on by Kaptured Photo Booth Experiences to grab a picture with your family or friends.”
Underwood said there is a lot of excitement among the LPD staff about this year’s Trail of Terror.
“We are excited for the event overall. It is time-consuming and takes a lot of effort, but we enjoy seeing it all come together and love to see the community come out and support a great cause,” Underwood said. “We are always looking for people to scare. It definitely appeals to a certain part of our community, but if you enjoy Halloween and scaring people, this is going to be for you. Get a group of friends/coworkers together, get creative, and come up with some costumes or design a spot. It really is a blast. As far as age restrictions, we don’t really have any, and we leave it up to the parents to determine if their children are able to go through it.”
Underwood added she enjoys being part of the Trail of Terror every year.
“There are a lot of reasons that people keep coming back. Yes, we do the Trail of Terror each year, but we never do the same Trail twice,” Underwood said. “We have new scenes and spots set up each year. It is also a unique experience and not something you see in the area. I won’t lie, it is exhausting work but it helps that we have an amazing team who knows the importance of this event. I think the best part is seeing everyone enjoy the event after all of the hard work.”
