IS THIS A SCENE FROM MACBETH? A group of witches, who we thought were City of Versailles employees, seem to have captured Mayor Laura Dake, who had been standing guard, so they could pass out free hocus-pocus candy! The hocus-pocus is said to make children turn into frogs within one week of ingestion. From left, Cindy Rankin, Amanda Wainscott, Elizabeth Reynolds, Dake, Patty Wilder and Marlena Jacobs. (Photo by Scott White)
SAVANNAH BARKDOLL, aka The Flaming Femme, an accomplished fire dancer, entertained the large crowd at Sunday’s annual Spooktacular in downtown Versailles. (Photo by Bill Caine)
“THE SODA POP GIRLS,” not to be confused with their colleagues, the munchkins from the Lollipop Guild, won their category in the costume contest. The group of close friends is, from left, Vesper Vick, Alexandria Hooten, MiCali Shawver and MiKayla Shawver. (Photo by Scott White)
A GHOUL (Kenneth Johns) watches over Halloween revelers in front of the Woodford County Library. (Photo by Bill Caine)
BOO!!
The Fifth Annual Spooktacular, organized and sponsored by the Woodford County Chamber of Commerce, attracted about 4,300 people, according to a software company that uses cell phone data to measure crowd size. The city closed off Main Street from Green to Morgan streets for the event, which included lots of activities, music and food and drink vendors. Downtown merchants were also open.
There were hundreds of ghosts, goblins, superheroes, police and firemen, dinosaurs, cowboys and cowgirls, and a menagerie of Disney and Marvel characters trolling for candy, playing games, trying to get the 10-foot skeleton to talk, marveling at the headless horseman and generally having a big time.
The night reached its climax with the annual Thriller Parade.
Lauren Stigers, a Versailles native who now dances professionally in New York City, flew home to play the Michael Jackson role for a third time. She was joined by a large group of Zombies made up of dance students and over 30 untrained Woodford County residents, who were taught the tightly choreographed long-dance by Jane’s School of Dance owner Megan Schenck Dragoo.
A two-minute clip of the dance posted on the Sun’s Facebook page has already had over 38,000 views.
What a night!