UPCOMING EVENTS

First Annual Halloween Town at Camp Tohkomeupog !

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What, Where, When is Halloween Town…?

Halloween Town is taking place on Saturday, October 24th, 2009! This unusual, and we think very cool, event is being designed with the hopes of raising both funds and awareness in support of the Laura Foundation for Autism and Epilepsy.

This event has also been inspired by a desire to offer local kids an opportunity to enjoy… what some of us remember from childhood… a traditional Halloween. By that we mean, the ability to walk around a “neighborhood” and visit houses in trick-or-treat style.

Halloween Town is being held on the grounds of Tohkomeupog, a summer camp for boys in East Madison, New Hampshire. Tohkomeupog is located at 2151 East Madison Road, near the junction of Eaton Road (Route 153) and next to King Pine Ski Area.

Tohkomeupog has a number of rustic cabins, spread out across a wide span, which will be transformed to host this truly unique event for the kids of the Mount Washington Valley area. Halloween Town will feature a Kid Carnival with food and the incredible ‘Trick-or-Treat Trail’!

• The Kid Carnival starts at 4:00PM and goes until 5:30PM; there’s no admission fee.

• The gates of the Trick-or-Treat Trail are open from 5:30PM until 7:30PM; there’s no admission fee.

• The food court opens at 4:00PM for the duration of the entire event with items for sale.

What is the Kid Carnival…?

The Kid Carnival will feature a bouncy house, face painting, and an array of carnival type games. Some games will be just for fun, others for small prizes. The Carnival also marks the beginning of the Trick-or-Treat Trail, which we are affectionately calling the, “Halloweenie Walk”.

The Halloweenie Walk will visit the first four cabins on the trail, designed with our youngest trick-or-treaters in mind. That is, they will be transformed for fun, rather than fright, and will be appropriate for visitors of all ages. Little ones are most certainly welcome.

What will we find along the ‘Trick-or-Treat Trail’…?

As it leaves the carnival area, the Trick-or-Treat Trail becomes an atmospherically lighted pathway guiding “trick-or-treaters” throughout camp to visit a series of Halloween-themed cabins. Halloween surprises (candy, treats, knick-knacks) will be offered at each cabin.

Along the trail, visitors may pass through spooky areas intended to add to the chill and thrill of the adventure. However, while parts of the Trick-or-Treat Trail are strongly rumored to be haunted, this is designed to be a kid-friendly event. The trail is over ½ mile in length.

Although the trail will be designated by lighted displays, it may lead travelers through areas, including a ‘haunted house’, that are very dark. Parts of the trail also wander through forested areas, so we strongly recommend appropriate footwear for all who set out on this journey.

How scary is “scary”…?

There are a total of about 20 cabins situated along the trail. The interior of each cabin is being transformed with a specific theme in mind. Visitors will be invited inside each cabin to look around and experience whatever the hosts have dreamed up.

Cabins will be designated by level of scare, ranging from “not scary at all” to “potentially causing panic”. That said… it is difficult for us to guess what will be scary to any specific visitor. What makes one kid laugh, may make another scream and run.

In general, the trail is being designed such that cabins become progressively scarier. There is always the option to skip a cabin if it appears to be too scary. The final four cabins on the Trail will be the scariest, and will be located on a separate portion of the trial, known as “The Scarea”.

What age kids will enjoy Halloween Town…?

The Kid Carnival is being designed around younger kids, ages 4 and up. Some of the games will be fun for 4-year olds; some will probably be fun for 10-year olds as well. The bouncy house is appropriate for all ages. The Halloweenie Walk is also appropriate for all ages.

The remainder of the Trick-or-Treat Trail should be suitable for most elementary school to middle school aged kids. Again, some cabins may be scary to some kids. For that matter, some may be scary to some adults as well.

What should we wear…?

Halloween Town will take place, rain or shine, so trick-or-treaters should dress appropriately for the weather. As mentioned before, some of the trail wanders through dark and forested areas, so appropriate footwear is strongly recommended.

Costumes are not required, but would certainly be appropriate… and we would love to see them! At the same time, overly bulky costumes may inhibit kids from being able to enjoy such features as the Bouncy House or the Haunted House (tight corridors and confined spaces).

How will the ‘Trick-or-Treat Trail’ be monitored…?

The trail will be monitored by members of our volunteer ‘Ghost Patrol’, many of whom are also active on Ski Patrol at King Pine. Ghost Patrollers will wander the trail and assist as necessary. Of course, all cabin hosts (even the scarier ones) will be looking after the safety of the kids.

Where should we park…?

Limited parking will be available at the event itself. Other cars will be directed to park in one of the ski area parking lots, and then participants will be transported by shuttle to Halloween Town. We are expecting a big turnout and will make every effort to facilitate parking.

This event sounds incredible, how are you pulling it off…?

Response to the idea of Halloween Town has been enthusiastic and supportive. It will be successful because there are so many people who feel a “connection” to the Laura Foundation… through family, friend or business… and who are committed to this effort.

Many camp alumni, resort employees, and community members are pulling together to help create Halloween Town. In fact, we have well over 100 volunteers combining their creative efforts and enthusiasm to make this event happen.

Beyond volunteers, many local businesses and organizations are assisting us with materials, props, food, and funds. With their support, (which will be recognized), we are able to invite kids to Halloween Town without charging any admission fee.

Do we need money to enjoy Halloween Town…?

As mentioned above, thanks to the support we have received from the community, there will be NO admission fee for this event. We want the kids to come and enjoy! There will, however, be opportunities to spend money at Halloween Town.

The food court will be open starting at 4:00PM. Grilled items, such as burgers and dogs, will be available for purchase. For those of you craving more traditional carnival food, fried onions, fried dough, and popcorn will also be offered, plus a variety of baked goods.

It is not certain at this time whether any sort of souvenirs will be for sale. It has been suggested that we should do t-shirts, or perhaps other take home items. If you are a collector of such things, you may want to be prepared for the possibility.

All proceeds from sales will benefit the Laura Foundation. There will also be opportunities at Halloween Town to make donations directly to the Foundation. We hope you will enjoy this event so much that you will consider making a voluntary contribution.

It is our hope that Halloween Town will offer kids a safe and entertaining way to enjoy the holiday, and that it will become an annual tradition in the Valley. If you have further questions, feel free to contact me at Halloween Town Headquarters: 603-367-4010.

Steve Harding

Vice President – The Laura Foundation

Happy Halloween!!