Left Hand Valley Courier - All Local, All The Time

This Saturday, Oct. 29, ghosts, ghouls, monsters and witches of all ages will be descending on 2nd Avenue and Cottonwood Square for the community's annual Great Pumpkin Party. The colorful harvest event features trick or treating with kids, adults and pets in costume, a haunted house, live music, games, hayrides and an appearance by Stinky the Donkey.

Pat Murphy of Niwot Group at Compass also advises anyone planning to attend – "Watch out for witches, they're going to be around."

In addition to witches, the event includes a lot of other moving, active pieces. Murphy organized it this year with her group of volunteers, as she has done for many years past and shared that regularly the event is expected to draw at least 1,000 people, based on past history.

"I love being the organizer, it's just a fun event to coordinate," she said. Then she teased a preview of what attendees could expect. "And aside from witches, we'll have scarecrows that are decorated by community members up and down the town, and lots of other decorations. And we're pleased to say that there are a lot of vendors from years past who are returning."

Through past years, Murphy said there's been a haunted house if there's a vacant building available to host it in. She was excited to announce that this year it would be back. "John Fisher has generously allowed us to use the vacant feed store building. The kids of the High School Key Club are putting it together and running it. We're grateful that he's allowing it to happen."

Throughout the years of planning the event, we asked Murphy what costumes, and event highlights have stood out. She responded, "I remember costumes with Tim Wise and his son, like the year when they were Batman and Robin. And there are other costumes that are incredibly cute and creative through the years."

She also remembered one year when a blizzard descended on Niwot the same day the parade was supposed to take place. "We canceled, but people came out anyhow. Hardly anyone was here and we were there shoveling snow, but people came out for the event anyway."

Murphy also remembered traditions that don't take place any longer. At the top of her list for these types of events was apple bobbing, admitting that in recent years, the planning committee understood that dunking heads into communal vats of water wasn't sanitary. "We realized this isn't a good thing to do at all," Murphy said.

Anyone coming into the area that morning should be prepared to plan for their route and for parking. Second Avenue will be closed from 10:30 a.m.to 1:00 p.m.

The full schedule of events for the day is as follows:

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - Trick or Treating at 2nd Ave Old Town and Cottonwood Square.

10 a.m. - 2 p.m .- Niwot High School Key Club Haunted House at the Feed Store.

10 a.m. -12:00 p.m. - The Fire House Museum will be open.

10:15 a.m.- 11:00 am, and 12:30 pm - Magic shows in Cottonwood Square.

10:30 a.m. - 1:00 pm - Stinky the Donkey at Niwot Group at Compass and hayrides.

11:20 a.m. - Parade lineup by the Niwot Liquor at Niwot Rd. and 2nd Ave. Kids and animals in costume are welcome. Performance by Niwot Elementary School students.

11:30 a.m. - Parade begins.

12:00 p.m. - Dog costume contest at The Old Oak Coffeehouse.