By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WINONA LAKE — The town’s second annual Trick or Treat on the Trail blossomed into a huge event Saturday, attracting 2,000 to 3,000 participants on the greenway.
Children and parents filled the trails to collect candy from about 32 groups spread across the wooded paths.
The two-hour event came ahead of more Halloween activities at Limitless part early in the evening.
This year’s event had far more groups distributing candy, according to Holly Hummitch, who oversees the town’s parks department.
She estimated the crowd to be at least 2,000 people.
The trail event marked the second large-scale Halloween gatthering this weekend in the Warsaw and Winona Lake area, one day after thousands descended on downtown Warsaw for the annual Spooktaculur.
Saturday’s event began at 3 and the trails were soon packed with participants coming and going as park employees directed traffic along different routes.
Brenda and Jeffrey Logsdon, of Warsaw, brought their daughter, Vivian to the event.
It was their first year and Brenda said she thinks they’ll be back next year.
“Its so much fun. I love that you get out and get exercise and be with your family and enjoy the community and the beautiful weather,” she said.
Jeffrey said he thinks the mass gatherings such as Saturday’s event are better than house-to-house trick or treating.
“These events, I think, are safer,” he said. “I think that’s a big deal.”
For some, The weekend events were perhaps a good alternative to the much colder conditions predicted for Tuesday on Halloween.
Meteorologist Matt Rudkin predicts a chance of light snow showers are possible Tuesday with temperatures ranging from 40 to the mid-20s.
