Spearfish American Legion hosts second annual safe Halloween carnival for local families

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - Local veterans and community leaders gathered in Spearfish this weekend to offer area children a fun, safe alternative to traditional late-night trick-or-treating.

American Legion Post 164 and American Legion Auxiliary Unit 164 teamed up to host their second annual Safe Halloween Carnival at the local VFW Hall. The event is specifically designed for families with children ages 10 and under.

Organizers designed the carnival to give younger children an early opportunity to celebrate the holiday without navigating crowded streets or dark neighborhoods on Halloween night.

“The first thing we look at, what does it mean to have a safe Halloween carnival?” said Micheline Nelson, president of the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 164. “We select the age group so that families with very young children have something to do that adults might not be able to take them to if they go on Halloween day. We want to make sure they have a good time, families are involved, and it’s a family deal.”

The carnival featured a variety of interactive stations, including pumpkin decorating, ring toss, pumpkin bowling, two photo booths, and large craft tables where children could color their own trick-or-treat bags. Instead of handing out sugary snacks right away, candy and treats were distributed as families exited so kids could focus on playing the games.

A unique highlight of this year’s carnival was the prizes. Kevin Klunder, Children and Youth Director for Post 164, personally manufactured nearly 850 toys using his 3D printer over several weeks of preparation.

“This year, I made 847 toys,” Klunder said. “There are fidgets, pumpkins, dragons, everything. Each kid, when they go to a game, they’ll get one. So if they went to all five games, they’ll have five 3D prints to take home.”

Organizers noted that holding the event the weekend before Halloween allows families to enjoy community activities before the busy holiday schedule begins. The collaboration between the American Legion Post, its Auxiliary, and the VFW provided the space and volunteer support necessary to keep the event free for all attending families.

With Halloween arriving next week, event leaders also urged parents to keep safety top of mind when taking their children out into the community on Oct. 31.

“The first one is be visible—have a costume that, as the night comes down, can be seen,” Nelson said. “Don’t go alone. Have an adult with you. It doesn’t matter your age, if you’re teenagers, do a couple of you together.”

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