Halloween Weekend Events Announced

    Dentists favorite holiday of the year arrives this Sunday, as children from all over North Lake County are expected to hit the ground running for an evening of candy collecting as part of celebrating Halloween. Events are scheduled throughout the area to mark the dress-up day, with groups inviting the public to join the fun.
    The party actually starts on Saturday, October 30, when Sunsational Farms in Umatilla hosts its annual Tent or treat from 3-6 p.m. Family fun and tents providing treats are all expected to be part of this event.
    Also on Saturday, the First Baptist Church of Paisley will host a fall festival from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., featuring face painting, a hay ride, food, and more. The church is located on CR 42 in Paisley, at Fisherman’s Road.
    On Sunday, the holiday fun starts at noon, when Cassia Day convenes on the grounds of the Historic Cassia schoolhouse. Live music, a Chinese auction, BBQ lunches, children’s games, and raffles are all hallmarks of this annual event, but so is a costume contest that will begin at 1 p.m. Cassia Day is sponsored by the Cassia Community Club, and the school building is located at 29245 SR 44 in Cassia.
    At 5 p.m., the First Baptist Church of Umatilla will host its annual Trunk or Treat event, with dozens of vehicles expected to be on hand and decorated for the purpose of handing out candy in a safe, family-friendly environment. Candy, photo booths, prizes, and more are all expected to be a part of the event, which runs until 7 p.m.
    At 6 p.m., Umatilla Boulevard will come alive as the annual Halloween Trunk or Treat Street Party returns after a year away due to COVID 19. Sponsored by Central Florida Karate with support from the Umatilla Chamber of Commerce, the event will feature a night of outdoor dress-up fun just a block west of the First Baptist Church. For people planning on attending both events, a police crossing is expected to be put in place on SR 19. Set up for this event begins at 5 p.m., with event organizer Ray Bryant, Jr. inviting area businesses or non-profits to join the fun and set up a booth for candy giving and promotion. Call Bryant at 516-7666 for more information.
    Also on Sunday at 6 p.m., the First Baptist Church of Astor will host Fall-O-Ween, a celebration of ‘are you following?’ Jesus? The fun runs from 6-8 p.m. for children up to 12th grade with games, food, candy, fun. The church will even offer goodies to take home. The church is located next to SR 40 in Astor. Call 352-759-2135.