Big Bad Pumpkin Party Planned In New Lenox

NEW LENOX, IL — New Lenox Community Park District is scheduled to hold its Big Bad Pumpkin Party from 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 10 at Walker Country Estates Park, located at 299 Lenox St., and the park district is inviting everyone to attend the free event.

The outdoor event's highlights are to include a pumpkin hunt, costume contest, bounce house and hayrack rides, according to New Lenox Community Park District Recreation Supervisor Tracy Wrase.

"It's a great family event," Wrase said. "We've noticed that it brings the community together and it's something that's fun for a few quick hours on a Sunday morning."

She added that the park district purposefully plans the Big Bad Pumpkin Party so as not to interfere with another popular Sunday tradition in the area: the Chicago Bears football game.

"You know we have a lot of Bears fans in our area," Wrase said.

The pumpkin hunt is scheduled to start promptly at 11 a.m. Children will get to race through the field to find more than 1,000 cutout pumpkins with candy attached to the backs, Wrase said.

"We tried it a couple of years ago and got great feedback, so we figured we'd do it again as something fun and different for them to do," Wrase said.

The costume contest is open for two age groups: those 2-6 years old and those 7-12 years old, Wrase said. Prizes will be awarded, and the park district is currently working to secure those prizes, Wrase said.

The hayrack rides will be available throughout the event, with the last ride scheduled for 11:45 a.m.

The park district will also have a free raffle for participants to have a chance at winning pumpkins donated by Berkot's Super Foods, Wrase said.

Families will be asked to sign an event waiver, which will be at the check-in table the day of the Big Bad Pumpkin Party, Wrase said.

The Big Bad Pumpkin Party is outdoors. In the event of poor weather the park district will post updates on its website and social media, Wrase said.

For more information, visit the New Lenox Community Park District website.

For more news and information like this, subscribe to the New Lenox Patch for free. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here. Don't forget to like us on Facebook!