By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times
If you aren’t ready for pumpkin carving, cool evenings, and warm bowls of chili yet, the Grayson Rotary Club is ready to help you get in the mood for fall this weekend. Their 20th annual Funtoberfest celebration kicks off on Saturday morning with lots of family friendly fun, including all day inflatables with a $5 wrist band, costume contests for pets and people, pumpkin decorating, face painting, story time with character meet and greet, and a “not-so-haunted house.”
Capping it all off will be a trunk-or-treat session and Halloween Extravaganza Light Show at the fire department.
If that doesn’t get you into the fall spirit, how about chili? Because while all those events are going on, judges will also be tasting samples for the Rotary Chili Cook-Off. Tasting for the event begins at 11 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. with trophies awarded for the best chilis. Tickets for the chili event are $1 each. You can try a sample for one ticket, or – once you find the chili you love – an entire bowl for five tickets.
If you’re already in an autumnal mood, and want to get started celebrating early, you might consider entering a scarecrow in the Scarecrow Contest before the event. You can enter by bringing your completed scarecrow to the Grayson Tourism Cabin on Friday, from 4 – 6 p.m. The scarecrows will be judged on Saturday, with cash prizes awarded to the top scorers.
Or, if you own a business in town, you might want to participate in the Fall Store Front Display contest. If you’re interested in that, have your business decorated before Noon on Friday. For more information on the scarecrow or business decoration contests contact the event sponsors at the Grayson Tourism Commission at (606)316-0874.
Park Street will be closed for the festivities, between Main Street and Third Street, from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Saturday.
Events begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday morning with KCU Women’s Volleyball, at Kentucky Christian University. Inflatables also open at 11 a.m. in the city building parking lot and run until 5 p.m., as does an auction and raffle at the Grayson Gallery to benefit Grayson Rotary Scholarships.
At 1 p.m. the Grayson Tourism Cabin will host the story hour and character meet and greet, with a limited number of free books given away as available.
Vendors will also be set up along Park Street until 2 p.m. along with a free petting zoo, sponsored by Brad Brammell. Kids and families can also decorate pumpkins on the tourism cabin lawn, or get their own faces painted.
Fun Train Rides, sponsored by the Grayson Fire Department, start at 2 p.m. and go until 5 p.m.
But you’ll want to make sure you’re off the train in time for the Pet Costume Contest, at 2:30 p.m. sponsored by Cindy Gibson and Dustin Howard, even if you get back on afterwards.
At 2:45 winners will be announced in the Fall Store Front Display Contest, Scarecrow Contest, and Chili Cook-Off.
As the evening sets in the Grayson Gallery & Art Center will host a magic show and another character meet and greet starting at 5 p.m.
The Not-So-Haunted House at the Grayson Fire Department goes from 6 – 8 p.m. alongside Trunk-or-Treat. Then after getting appropriately spooked and collecting some candy, tune your radios to 88.1 FM and turn your eyes toward the fire department for the Halloween Extravaganza Light Show.
Parking for the event will be available at the Advanced Auto Sales lot. T-shirts are $15 each and can be pre-ordered by contacting the Grayson Rotary Club at (606)255-0008, with a limited number also available at the event.
Sponsors include: Grayson Tourism Commission, GO Radio, Don Combs, Commercial Bank of Grayson, Dr. Shannon L. Smith Stephens DNP, ARPN-BC, PLLC, Duane Suttles For Judge Exec, Elect Erick Ross for Carter County Sheriff, First National Bank, FirstLight Homecare, Grayson Gallery & Art Center, Cabin Creek Camping & RV Sales, Michelle Wilhoit State Farm, Dance With Hope Studio, Super 8, Econolodge, Days Inn, The Inn at Grayson, Horton Bros and Brown, City National Bank, Re-Group, Pathways, Inc, PrimaryPlus-Grayson, Sweet Life, The Hogs Trough, All That Bloomz, Chris Huddle for Magistrate District 1, Brian Bayes, Grayson Sporting Goods, Bakers Septic Service, Members Choice Credit Union, Pure Country Automotive, NECCO, Century 21 Brooks Wells Enterprises, Jeff May for Carter County Sheriff, McCloud Eye Care, and Derrick McKinney for Magistrate District 2.
The Rotary Club would also like to extend special thanks to: Grayson Fire Department, Carter County Jailer, Carter County Times, Brad Brammell, Grayson Sanitation, Advance Auto Group, City of Grayson, Grayson Police, and the Carter County Sheriff.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com