AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi
and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services
From the moment it opened Saturday at 11 am, the Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber’s SHOPTOBERFEST 2024 fairly bustled with shoppers. Granted, the first hour drew more adults wanting to check out the vendors than children. Dozens of vendor tents stretched across the Park Plaza parking lots. The closest rows contained tents for M & T Bank, Sidestreet Framers & Gift Gallery, Play Street Museum, St. Martin’s-in-the-Field Episcopal School and Providence Pottery & Arts Studio among others.
By noon, however, the witching hour was upon the crowd and costumed youngsters began to appear at the Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services tent, their Trick or Treat Bags at the ready. “Good witches” Winsome Brown and sisters Mia and Micayla Alexander had expected to give out lots of candy to the kids. But they were amazed to see their folders and brochures picked up by adult shoppers as quickly as they could put them out.
“Good Witches” Mia and Micayla Alexander and Lean On Dee owner Winsome Brown welcomed… 
….scores of Trick or Treaters.
Trick or Treaters had also been stopping at the St. Martin’s-in-the-Field Episcopal School tent, with and without their parents. Director of Admissions Kira Dickson filled her trusty basket with candy and, as can be seen in the photo below, it was going fast.
Dickson also had some exciting news to share with visitors to the St. Martin’s tent. The school was about to welcome its new Interim Head of School Kathleen Mahar who’d served most recently as President of Archbishop Spalding High School.
With an hour to go before the Children’s Costume Contest, there was lots to see with playful pirates, fanciful creatures and mystical apparitions everywhere. Wolf Zelda and chicken Daphne took it all in but steered clear of the scary mummy (Jacquei Shade) behind them with Mr. Toad (Thomas Shade) from the classic book “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad”. The mummy would crop up elsewhere from time to time.
Following Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi’s much anticipated Lion Dance, the Lion’s head became disconnected from its body enroute to the martial arts school’s tent. Moments later, event Gold Sponsor Jing Ying’s owners Nancy and Billy Greer brought out an example of the institute’s newest attraction, a Dragon Ribbon in celebration of the Chinese Year of the Dragon.
Following the “Lion Dance” the Jing Ying lion, (who some say looks like a dragon) returned to the tent in two pieces. 
Nancy and Billy Greer show off Jing Ying Institute’s new Dragon Ribbons celebrating the arrival of the Chinese Year of the Dragon.
Dragon Ribbons are used with students of all ages during classes at the Arnold-based school. But, in China, their use is considered a popular form of exercise for “elderly” Tai Chi practitioners. Billy Greer provided a demonstration of how the ribbons work while Nancy commented that exercising with one requires getting into a steady rhythm.
The day following SHOPTOBERFEST, the Jing Ying Institute Team rallied at Sandy State Park for the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s. The Greers note that the Jing Ying Team is still collecting Alzheimer’s Walk donations through Thanksgiving. You can make a donation online through 2024 Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Annapolis, MD (Anne Arundel): Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi | Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
Time passed ever so quickly. The Costume Contest was scheduled for 1 pm, but costumed kids began arriving ten minutes early from all points of the compass. Soon, Chamber CEO Liz League announced over the loudspeaker that the costume contest was about to begin. She asked that all competitors form a line before the judges. The line was colorful and very long stretching from one end of the parking lot to the other.
After announcing that prizes would be awarded for the most original, cutest and scariest costume, the event’s emcee proceeded to speak with each child and have them explain the character they were portraying. He had great fun speaking with Cinderella, a princess, a pirate (who’d win Cutest Costume), two Minions, a werewolf and Beetlejuice (who’d win a prize for Scariest) but was astonished when Abraham Lincoln recited the first lines of the Gettysburg Address.
Storybook characters included the monkey Curious George and companion in the yellow hat (who captured the prize for Most Original). The black hooded phantasm flitted here, there and everywhere.
The costume contest over, it was back to Trick or Treating for the children while their parents enjoyed more shopping. An oh-so-popular draw for everyone was the Eco Adventures tent where Dorito the Corn Snake and his handler Nathan greeted visitors.
Corn Snakes are native to Maryland. Dorito, an excellent specimen, is one of Eco Adventures animal ambassadors. There were other animal ambassadors behind Nathan.
After leaving Dorito, we once more came upon the mummy minding the Good Neighbors Group stand. The mummy, aka Jacquei Shade, was the epitome of GNG’s goal to “Recycle, Reduce, and Renew”.
“I made my mummy costume from one of my husband’s old dress shirts that was stained, a GNG donation of midshipman’s pants that were too stained to pass on, and an old white baseball cap topped by some sheer fabric gathered around an elastic band,” Shade said.
There were so many vendors at the event that we can mention just a few. Some, like SHOPTOBERFEST Gold Sponsor SERVPRO, Kwon’s Taekwondo, Sidestreet Framers & Gift Gallery and Ally 4 Pets have been at virtually every one of the spring and fall SHOP LOCAL events.
Others were new this year. Brand new to Severna Park and quite colorful was the CottonWood quilting, arts and antique shop now located at 548 Benfield Road and owned by Julie and D.J. Antinucci. Another was Nothing Bundt Cakes.
CottonWood combines, quilting, art and antiques 
Nothing Bundt Cakes were selling like hotcakes.
Nissa and Aiden, who were selling the bundt cakes nonstop, were with the Waugh Chapel branch. The original shop is located in Annapolis and there is about to be a Nothing Bundt Cakes shop opening in Park Plaza in two months.
Before leaving SHOPTOBERFEST, we couldn’t help but notice that the Singing Pirates seen spinning cotton candy in the opening photo were just as busy as they had been throughout the day with long lines of customers trailing across the parking lot. The cotton candy in flavors ranging from blue raspberry to cherry berry was free to everyone courtesy of the Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber.
The Chamber was delighted with SHOPTOBERFEST 2024. The day couldn’t have been more beautifulm the crowds good and steady sales for the vendors.
AAUW Book Sale to be held October 31 thru November 3
Another reminder that the annual AAUW Book Sale will be held from Thursday, October 31 to Sunday November 3 at Chesapeake Square, 6714 Ritchie Hwy, Glen Burnie, MD (south of Ordinance Road, west side of Ritchie Hwy, in shopping center with Chap’s Pit Beef).
Doors open for the presale from 8:00 to 10:00 AM on Thursday, October 31 ($40 entry) then free to all from 10:00 am to 7:00 PM. The sale continues Friday, November 1 from 10:00 am to 7:00 PM, Saturday, November 2 from 9:00 am to 7:00 PM and Sunday, November 3 from 9:00 am to 3:00 PM. For more information, visit AAUW ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY USED BOOK SALE | Facebook.
The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center.)
and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.
