TOWN OF MANLIUS – The Halloween-themed celebration Wicked Woods returned to Green Lakes State Park in the form of a frightful drive-through on Oct. 23.
Launched in 2012, the free, family-friendly event brought out about 500 cars for this year’s go-around, which lasted from 6:30 to 8:30 Saturday evening.
Similar to the procedure of the yearly Lights on the Lake in Liverpool, the coordinators of Wicked Woods encouraged people to drive slowly so they could admire the displays along the route. This year, the state park offered no-cost weekend camping to anyone willing to elaborately adorn their in-view campsites with spooky decorations for the event.
According to Town of Manlius Recreation Supervisor Kristine Zingaro, this year’s steady flow of cars followed the outer loop of the campgrounds and went by about 50 campsites.
The event featured a Camp Crystal Lake-inspired scene, a pumpkin patch and a multitude of inflatables.
Some drivers rolled their windows down and amiably interacted from a distance with the costumed campers, since weekend park guests were instructed not to approach the line of cars, Zingaro said. Because the State Route 290 entrance into the park closes at 5 p.m., every visitor pulled in at the Route 5 entrance located past the golf course. At that ticket booth, coloring books courtesy of Superior Seal & Paving, crayons gifted by Four Seasons Golf & Ski Center and an activity sheet created by the Manlius recreation department’s office were given out.
There was a stopping point further down the road where the suggested donations of non-perishable food were collected, all to be given to Food Bank of Central New York. A number of people who forgot to bring any or were never aware of the suggestion instead donated money.
The 2021 Wicked Woods event was co-sponsored by Town of Manlius Recreation, Village of Fayetteville Recreation, Village of Manlius Parks and Recreation, the Village of Minoa and the Office of New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. “We’re very appreciative of the willingness and ability of these organizations to put their manpower out there for this community event with us,” Zingaro said.
In previous years, the event highlighted a maze, trick-or-treating, and an end-of-the-night bonfire on the beach as well as arts and crafts in the old administration building, but in 2020, the drive-through idea was introduced due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19 among attendees.
Overall, 1,714 pounds of non-perishable food and an additional $657.95 had been donated through this year’s Wicked Woods celebration.
