NORTH SMITHFIELD – It will be a night of ghost stories and tarot readings, of scary hayrides and fall treats, as locals gather at a 80-acre North Smithfield farm this Saturday for a celebration of the season.
Halloween is in the air at Goodwin Brothers Farm as organizers prepare to host the second annual Spooky Spirits Night. Co-sponsored by the North Smithfield Heritage Association and the North Smithfield Parks and Recreation Department, the evening promises plenty of family-friendly, scare-laden fun.
North Smithfield Heritage Association president Richard Keene says that between 300 and 400 people attended the night of Halloween revelry when it was first held in 2019.
“It’s an opportunity for families to come out and have a little fun,” Keene said.
One of the most popular features of the event are the hay rides, provided courtesy of Wright’s Farm. Visitors will traverse the farm grounds on wagons pulled around the farm by tractors.
New this year will be a set up for cornhole, and after a couple of games to work up their appetites, visitors can head over to the food trucks for some treats provided by Mickey G’s and Alien Dogs. The Boy Scouts will be selling cider for guests to enjoy by the campfire while listening to spooky and fun stories. Tarot card reading will be provided by The Crescent Moon Tarot, and Goodwin’s Farm will be opening their apple orchard during daytime hours for some choice pickings.
Adults and children are welcome to wear costumes, and can have their face painted to add to their ensemble while they wait to hear results of the second annual Pumpkin People of North Smithfield competition. The contest, which began in 2020 a fun way to show Halloween spirit even through pandemic-related restrictions, challenges residents to turn the gourds into athletes, favorite movie or television characters, or anything else the creative mind can envision. Individuals, groups and businesses are invited to participate by posting their creations to the 2nd Annual Pumpkin People of North Smithfield Facebook page and contacting one of the organizers, Briten Corriveau or Catherine Reyes, who teamed up with the event this year.
Winners will be announced at 6 p.m.
The event was originally devised as a way to draw attention to NSHA’s efforts to restore the town’s historic cemeteries, and that work will again be on display in 2021.
“The idea was a joint collaboration between the NS Heritage Association and Parks and Recreation,” said Program Coordinator Kate Pasquariello. “We just wanted to provide a fun, fall event for families in North Smithfield.”
All are welcome to attend the free event when Spooky Spirits Night takes place this Saturday, Oct. 23 from 3-8 p.m. Parking is available at the North Smithfield Middle School, with overflow parking at Keene-Brown Funeral Home.
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