The annual Town of New Windsor Trunk or Treat welcomed ghosts and ghouls on Friday, October 25. Kristi Babcock Memorial Park transformed into a Halloween playground with candy and scares for New Windsor residents and families to enjoy before the Halloween holiday.

Families made their way to the park greeted by fire trucks, decorated trunks from various halloween franchises and themes and friends dressed in costume. Under the park pavilion, families enjoyed a dance party with music. Near the gaga ball pit by the pavilion, pumpkins were able to be collected by families.

Parents enjoyed time with their children in a fun and safe environment during the course of the evening with various activities to enjoy and lots of candy to collect.

“We do this every year, and it’s always a nice event for our family. My friend is on the council for the Town of New Windsor, so she always promotes to us and makes sure that our friends and family come out,” said parent Michelle Howington. “Happy Halloween and be safe everyone and pay attention. It’s all about the kids, so be careful when driving and of course have fun, have a good time.”

Recreation Director Jessica Dickinson greeted families as they made their way around the trunks. The event was her first time leading and working with New Windsor to make it possible for the town residents. “This is great. We got dance going, a DJ, we’ve got hayrides through a haunted house. We have the trunk or treat happening with lots of our community friends. We’ve got concessions open. We’ve got a pumpkin patch happening so it’s kind of like we’re using the whole park and it’s great,” said Dickinson.

New Windsor Supervisor Stephen Bedetti with members of the town board Eve Lincoln, Charles Broe and Steve Moreau and Town Clerk Patricia Clarino said hello to families and handed out candy to the kids during the evening. “The rec department just does an outstanding job, Jessica [Dickinson] and the whole team. I mean, they really put on a good show that represents the town and it’s safe and it’s fun, and everybody has a good time” said Councilman Broe.

Several of the trunks included vehicles from the Vails Gate Fire Department, New Windsor EMS and the New Windsor Police Department. Other trunks were from Merritt Florist’s in Cornwall, the local Hannaford, the office of Senator James Skoufis, Cub Scout Pack 4028 and several other community trunks who joined in on the fun.

“It’s such a great community event. I was just chatting with the car next to us, and it is a couple who are relatively new to New Windsor and to the Hudson Valley and they said that they are just hoping to get into the community more,” said Valerie Best, Director of Communications for Senator Skoufis. “They signed up to do this, and it is such a great opportunity to do just that, to participate in community and sort of draw closer together and meet people.”

Among those who attended were brave souls who made their way across foggy fields in haunted hayrides.

The lights of the tractor illuminated the dark fields at the park. For those even braver, the haunted house welcomed families to brave it, making their way through the dark halls and dimly lit spaces, while watching out for who was there or who wasn’t. Members of the recreation and buildings and grounds department helped run the hayrides and the haunted house during the course of the evening.

“It’s nice seeing everybody out, kids out. It’s a safe environment, and they get the candies and they get a little hay rides and little haunted house, it’s nice for the kids,” said Keith Bedetti of the Buildings and Grounds Department. “Jessica [Dickinson] being on board, she’s doing a real good job. It’s nice working with the town board and town supervisor. They give us a lot of leeway, which is, is nice, and we try to be creative but it’s for the kids and for the town, it’s a really nice function.”

The town trunk or treat continued on until about 8 p.m. Friday night and laugher and screams filled the night air. Heading into the Halloween weekend, the Town of New Windsor Halloween Curfew will begin at 9:00 p.m. on October 30, 2024 and be in effect, between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., on each of the following days October 30, 2024; October 31, 2024 and expire at 6:00 a.m. on November 1, 2024. The curfew shall apply to all minors under the age of 18, except those traveling to or from bona fide employment, school activity or medical emergency, or those in the company of a parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis.