What do firemen, goblins, princesses, and police have in common? The Habersham E-911 Children’s Fun Fest, of course!
With an estimated crowd of over 8,000, Habersham County first responders prepared and gathered for three hours of fun on Thursday, Oct. 17.
It began in a parking lot
“It all started in our parking lot with a couple of bounce houses and trunk or treat,” Kailey Gould, Senior 911 dispatcher, explained, “and the community just helped it explode.” She has been with Habersham E-911 for over 14 years and appreciates what the Children’s Fun Fest has become.
It was a great way to get a jump start on the candy as close to 100 vendors set up booths and joined in the Halloween theme.
Thursday night, vehicles filled the roads leading to the Habersham County Fairgrounds in Clarkesville, where the Fun Fest was held. Families, smiles, and costumes filled the fairground pavilion as children experienced rock climbing, spooky characters, and lots and lots of treats.
Heart of the community
There were games to play and prizes to win. The evening exemplified what the heart of the community is all about.
“It is a safe environment for the kids to come and see what the county is about. It is an easy way of doing trick or treating and an easy way,” Jeff Parker, Lieutenant and Fire Safety Educator.
Employees from the Habersham County Clerk’s office dressed as zombies and vampires and filled their booth with tombstones.
Costumed children went from booth to booth, filling their bags with treats, exploring the fire trucks and ambulances, and laughing with first responders.
Being able to relate to those in uniform in a fun setting builds confidence and security for little ones. School Resource Officers know and understand just how important exposure such as this is.
A year of planning for this one night of fun
John Krippner of Kona Ice offered free drinks for the evening for as long as they lasted.
“This is one of the best events we do all year. I hope there are 6,000 kids out here tonight!” Krippner said.
Habersham County 911/EMA Director Lynn Smith wants people to know who they are and says the festival is one of the best ways to build that relationship.
“It started out with about 75 people coming through the office 17 years ago, and last year, we gave out over 8,000 wristbands,” she says.
Smith believes it is important for little ones to be with officers in uniform and laugh with them.
“This event takes a full year to plan,” Smith said. “We will start working on next year soon.”
