Got li’l ghosts and goblins at home? Grab their hands and make your way to the Fayetteville Free Library Saturday Oct. 25 for an incredibly fun — and spooky — time with your family! The library will be transformed into a giant Halloween-themed carnival with plenty of terrifying activity sure to keep your hairs raised the entire afternoon.
Carniffall is the FFL’s first annual family event and fundraiser that’s geared for kids of all ages. Pastimes include crafts for toddlers and games and prizes for pre-school and school-age children. Pre-teens will get to enjoy the Wii and the unforgettable haunted house.
“The haunted house will be amazing,” said Heather Matzel, director of patron services. “It’s being constructed by a local artist [Chris Kukenberger], so it’s going to be a giant leap from your typical [ones] with cobwebs and chains. I think the older kids are going to love it.”
Located in the dark and eerie “East wing” of the library that has not yet been developed, the haunted house theme involves the library gone bad, and asks the daunting question: “Have you ever wondered what would happen to you if you didn’t return your library books?”
Kids, who are encouraged to come in costume, can look forward to other activities too such as Dancing in the Dark, Pumpkin Plinko, Mystery Box and Spider Cups. A pumpkin contest will also be held — kids just need to bring their carved or decorated pumpkins to enter.
“We hope to make it a tradition that families can look forward to during the fall, year after year,” said Brenda Shea, director of community relations.
The event is free with proceeds generated from game ticket sales (most cost 25 cents to play) and a three-tiered raffle ($2/$5/$10) — the higher the ticket cost, the greater the prizes.
“This way people can enter the raffle of their choice,” Shea said.
A list of prizes include gift cards of varying increments, an iPod, a gaming system and a signed Sabers hockey stick valued at approximately $250.
Additionally, the FFL is teaming up with 40 Below, a Syracuse organization of which Shea is a member. The group was created to connect, engage, and empower young adults in Central and Upstate New York.
“As an ambassador of the ‘Live it. Love it. It’s All here.’ campaign, we wanted to bring people from all over CNY to a suburban public library, and show them the great things that we have to offer here,” Shea said. “The Fayetteville Free Library is a progressive, vital community center; we are always looking for new ways to introduce our services to the community, and partnering with organizations like 40 Below creates great synergy and opportunity.”
The fun-filled affair, sponsored by P&C of Fayetteville, will also have a cookout and bake sale of which resident bakers are still in need, Shea said. All proceeds will go to the library’s operating fund.
“This event is so affordable that I anticipate seeing entire families coming to enjoy the afternoon, play games, and have lunch for a great price,” she said. “And they can feel good because their money is going to their public library, which will then come back to them through our programs and services.”
