AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
Brought to you by Fishpaws Marketplace and
Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi
The witching hour had apparently arrived as goblins and ghosts, fairies and princesses, bunny rabbits and superheroes descended on Severna Park Community Center’s spectacular Halloween Spooktacular. Looking down on the center’s transformed parking lot from above while listening to the buzz, it was clear that a wonderful event was in the making.
Even as the crowds swelled around the community center courtyard and Boone Station Hall, attendees continued flowing down the steps from parking areas above. They just kept coming.
The community center staff had pulled out all the stops creating the most festive Halloween scene imaginable. Decorations were everywhere – from the center’s doorways off the courtyard to Boone Station Hall and beyond.
Really getting into the spirit of the Spooktacular, SPCC executive director Sarah Elder and her staff dressed in costume – mostly as witches. Stationed by the make-believe Salem Broom Company, staffers Amy Holbrook and Sandy Ginns were bewitching indeed as they explained the inspiration behind the magical evening.
“The Halloween Spooktacular is Severna Park Community Center’s gift to the community,” Holbrook said. “It’s the first time we’ve done a Halloween event to this scale and is our thank you to area residents for supporting us and making us an integral part of the community. We like being here to help and support them in turn.”
She added that SPCC’s Board of Directors and staff decided to “go big this year” with help from the event’s primary sponsor KMA Law Office and other community businesses and organizations.
The atmosphere was animated along a midway of imaginatively decorated automobile trunks where Mutt & Joe and The Big Bean Coffee Shop served hot beverages while Donut Shack served 15 dozen donuts plus lots of candy.
Behind Holbrook and Ginns, strains of the perennial favorite “Flying Purple People Eater” rang out as five of the Dance Center of Severna Park’s Star Elite Dancers twirled into the center of the courtyard wearing bright purple tutus and performed a lively routine.
Star Elite director Barbara Wayson, who choreographed the cute number, said the dancers were already preparing routines for upcoming performances at the Severna Park Christmas Tree lighting, Midnight Madness in Annapolis, and SPCC’s Cookies & Cocoa holiday event on December 9th.
Nearby, Dance Center of Severna Park director Kellie Greer and her staff handed out treats from their tricked-out Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory trunk. Greer’s green hair and Oompa Loompa costume were sure-fire attention getters.
The next few trunks were similar in theme. Maryland House of Delegates candidate Kerry Gillespie and daughter Kaitlin’s trunk full of skeletal pirates was scary.
So was Kennard Chiropractic & Physical Therapy’s trunk where “live” skeleton Therese High chatted amiably about her work as a chiropractic assistant while handing out candy.
As if those trunks weren’t bone-chilling enough, alarms went off big time as firefighters Corey and Morgan Stevens approached the spider web covered trunk designed by Blended Essentials owner Danielle Bowen and staff while pulling their firetruck/carriage with one daughter aboard. However, her baby sister preferred her dad’s version of the tried-and-true fireman’s carry.
Across the way, Theater In The Park founder/director Jennifer Lee Kraus and daughter/co-director Kylie Sjoie teamed up for double impact while highlighting the theme of their next show, “The Wizard of Oz”, with side-by-side trunks. According to Kraus, the show is already in rehearsal on Saturday mornings from 9 am till noon and will debut in January on the stage at Anne Arundel Community College.
Who knew that, by sheer coincidence Dorothy (Kelly Bocskor) would show up with Toto (her daughter Lucy) accompanied by Brian Bocskor. Even more amazing was the fact that an unidentified Wicked Witch of the West turned up behind them.
There was so much more to see outside and a solid trick or treat line formed from the Escape Time Escape Rooms’ haunted house past Jessee Hall’s lovely Once Upon a Time trunk, Ali Matthew’s Donut Shack display, and Dave Born’s Ferrari themed racetrack trunk to Mutt & Joe’s trunk full of coffee.
After a peek at the film Hocus Pocus inside Boone Station Hall, we crossed the courtyard to explore the activities inside the community center.
There, we found arts and crafts, lots of local vendors, representatives from the Severna Park Branch of the Anne Arundel County Public Library, Park Books, Celebree School of Severna Park and MacaroniKID Pasadena plus a Halloween photo booth and some additional treats.
The interior vendors were too numerous to mention but a few added sparkle like Deb Vincent’s Opulenza Designs gems. Others attracted attention through costuming like Disability Case Management experts Angela and Danny Jacob.
It was impossible to resist visiting the Eco Adventures booth where Emma Brison cradled Onyx, a Bearded Dragon in her arms while Amber Powell held a baby American Alligator named JoJo. Critters belonging to the Millersville-based conservation education organization are always popular with kids but, in this case, the treats won high marks too.
One final exploration led to the photo booth run by Payton Huber who sported a superhero costume. She helpfully held packages of swag collected by bunny Alyssa, witch Saniah, and Lady in Waiting Leah while their mother shot a few photos – the perfect way to end a perfect day.
On exiting the Halloween Spooktacular, we had a chance to speak with Sarah Elder who was very pleased with the evening. She reported that Mutt & Joe’s, The Big Bean, Donut Shack and all the trunk or treat participants had been told to prepare for 250 attendees. However, to everyone’s surprise and pleasure the crowd swelled to 500.
Holbrook added that SPCC had to send someone out to buy tons more candy to give to the trunk or treat folks because they were running out.
“We were so delighted,” she said. “Now we’ll be concentrating on getting ready for our holiday Cookies and Cocoa event.”
For information on upcoming programs and events, visit THE SEVERNA PARK COMMUNITY CENTER – SPCC Home (spcommunitycenter.org).
Falcon Drama to debut the musical Footloose this Friday evening
We received last-minute news from Angela Germanos that Falcon Drama and the SP Stage Company are presenting the musical “Footloose” at Severna Park High School beginning tomorrow, Friday, November 4th at 7 pm. Additional performances are scheduled for Saturday, November 5th at 7 pm as well as Friday, November 11th at 7 pm and Saturday, November 12th at 2 pm and 7 pm. For more information and tickets, visit www.sphsdrama.com.
Around The Park Again would like to welcome our new sponsor Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi.
Thus, the column is brought to you this week by Fishpaws Marketplace, 954 Ritchie Hwy. – a family-owned business that carry fine wines, spirits and beers plus gourmet foods and specialty items for your table.
and 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.”
