News: HALLOWEEN TRICK OR TREAT TOWN

Pioneer Park, Access Alaska raise nearly $30,000 during familyfriendly Halloween event

On October 26th, 2019 the Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks and Recreation Department, along with co-sponsoring agency, Access Alaska, held the eighth annual Halloween Trick or Treat Town event at Pioneer Park. The event, which saw an estimated 7,000 attendees, raised just under $30,000.

Event admission included trick or treating, train rides, entertainment and live dance performances, face painting, jello brain, spicy nacho, and hanging donut eating contests, a costume contest, Star Wars characters, face painting, balloon art, DJ Fifty Fifty, games and more. Additional activities included food trucks, a haunted house and a pumpkin chuck. Nearly $30,000 was raised to benefit the FNSB Pioneer Park Playground Fund, Access Alaska, and the Fairbanks Youth Soccer Association. $20,000 has been allotted to a fund pay for expenses incurred by Halloween Town before funds are available through sponsorship and ticket sales. This will allow for Halloween Trick or Treat Town to continue year after year without a significant financial burden held by any of the organizations.

The rest of the money raised will be partitioned between various organizations. Access Alaska will use the money for the improvement of existing inclusive programs, the Fairbanks Youth Soccer Association will use it to grow their Adaptive Soccer for All Players program for youth with disabilities, and the FNSB Parks and Recreation Department will use it for future accessible playground efforts.

The Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks and Recreation Department and Access Alaska would like to say thank you to Chevrolet Buick GMC of Fairbanks, Kinross Fort Knox, Mt. McKinley Bank, Walmart, iHeart Radio, and Graphic North for their generous contributions to the event. Thank you to the cabin sponsors Aurora Borealis 501st Legion, Kiwanis Club of Fairbanks, Otter Dental, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, National Park Service, College Rotary, Costco, Forgetmenot Service Unit Girl Scouts, Girl Scouts Troop 125, North Star Oral and Facial Surgery, Housing & Homeless Coalition, and AmeriCorp VISTA. A special thank you goes out to the Marine Corps Junior ROTC, the many volunteers and the planning committee that made this year’s event a success.