Community Events
‘Jack O’Lantern Jubilee’ Launches Trio of Halloween-Themed Community Events the Week Before Trick or Treat Night
We continue our run-up to this coming Friday evening’s costumed celebration of treats for creatively spooked-up alter egos at your door with the fifth annual “Jack O’ Lantern Jubilee” co-hosted Thursday evening, October 23rd, by the Warren County Social Services and Parks & Recreation Departments. The site was the old middle school track and football field on 15th Street, now part of the Warren County Health and Human Services Complex.
A perspective on a portion of the estimated crowd of 1200 visiting 50 vendor booths of various treats. Below, we wonder who was clever enough to dress their vehicle up like a Sheriff’s Office unit, or do you think that’s a real Sheriff’s Office unit deployed to see that the Halloween ghouls don’t get out of control? Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini
The event was scheduled for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. as the sun set and darkness began to fall upon the proceedings. Following “Jack O’Lantern Jubilee 2025,” we got this background from Social Services Department staffer Michelle Smeltzer:
“This was a free event for families to enjoy Halloween fun within their community. Attendance at the event continues to grow every year, as we hosted over 1200 visitors and 50 vendors this year. This annual community tradition is a safe, fun, and free event for the whole family to enjoy. We are already looking forward to next year’s event, which will be held on October 22, 2026.”
And on that family, and ghoul-friendly note, we will explore our photo documentation of this year’s event. And a warning, it is pretty SCARY:
Co-host Parks & Rec Department booth – do the goblins smell treats there? Below, this pirate picks up a skeletal pet to help get him thru to Halloween.
We caught a T-Rex checking with this booth’s host skeleton to see if it needed any more pets de-fleshed. Below, T-Rex was largely ignored when asking if any visitors brought their pets with them. But further below this wheeled patron tells Mr. Rex to stay away from his pet, even if it was a toy one.
We don’t know exactly how this elephant costume worked, it is a costume, isn’t it?
This patron was feeling a little boxed in.
Vendor treats around the 15th Street track were in high demand.
It was all smiles, including a 2 for 1 smile at left-center, before the sun was entirely set. Who needs the sun up this quartet below seemed to be asking.
Uh oh, it appears an Alien Abduction is taking place here. Further below, Spider Man appears a little peeved that the Alien dared do that abduction right in front of him.
There was some game action, including enclosed bouncing around, on the field area. If I put my mask down will they let me join in those field games this patron below seemed to be wondering.
