ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
Halloween is just around the corner, and trick-or-treating fun will soon be taking place around the area.
Oct. 24, Seward County United Way is providing its own fun for the holiday with its annual Halloween Bash, and Director Patricia Fierro said while past events have been more about trick-or-treating, this year’s is more like a carnival.
“The reason we’re doing this is we want to be able to have family engagement, giving our families something to do,” she said. “That is also another reason why we changed it to a Friday. There’s not many options here in Liberal of activities or things we can do with our children.”
Fierro said the early date for the Halloween Bash was chosen to give people a chance to participate in other community activities scheduled closer to Oct. 31.
“A lot of our families want to be able to participate in other things or even do trick-or-treating with their children or give out candy at home, and this was a way of giving them the opportunity to wear their costume more and have other things to do the week prior,” she said.
The Halloween Bash will run from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, at the Seward County Activity Center, and Fierro said the event is fun for everyone and a nice way to businesses and organizations together in one location.
“It’s a nice, safe environment,” she said. “It’s an enclosed building, plenty of lighting. They get to have fun as a family and be able to enjoy that time and participate.”
As this year’s event is more carnival themed, Fierro said other activities will take place in addition to trick or treating.
“There’s going to be the costume contest,” she said. “There’s going to be four categories – the spookiest, the cutest, the most creative DIY and family costumes. We want our moms and dads to dress up with their kids. That’ll be fun to see our parents engaging and participating in that as well.”
DJ Studio 81 will provide music during the evening, and Cory Barnett will be on hand with cotton candy and interactive games as well.
“We’re going to have a lot of vendors providing things, and United Way will have some small items to sell food wise,” Fierro said. “It’s going to be a great event for our families to come out and have a good time.”
Past editions of SCUW’s trick-or-treating events have typically taken place in the middle of the day on Saturdays, and Fierro said a Friday date gives families something to do together.
“Usually, Fridays are families might want to go out, and this is that opportunity,” she said.
Having the event on Friday, Fierro said, also allows children to not worry about going to school the next day.
“They’re enjoying themselves,” she said.
Recent United Way trick or treat events have taken place at Liberal’s Crosspoint Church. Fierro said the Activity Center in part is a larger space to bring in more activities for the Halloween Bash.
“We wanted to bring in music,” she said. “We always want to be mindful that church is a place of worship, and we wanted to not cross any boundaries and be able to provide all of these things.”
Entry to the Halloween Bash is $1 for adults and children, and Fierro said cash is the best option. She added, though, United Way is in the process of getting a Cash App account established.
For more information about the Halloween Bash, message the Seward County United Way Facebook page, e-mail
Fierro said while she is excited about all of United Way’s event, she is particularly excited about the Halloween Bash.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun, and the board’s really excited about it too,” she said. “We’ve got a lot of great things going on at the end of the year, and we’re happy to have a team to get things done. I’m super excited about this and everything we have going.”
