Halloween Hoopla

If you plan it just right you can do fall/Halloween events for about two weeks, three if you really have a sense of adventure.

The Pumpkin Patch

Our first outing every fall is to the pumpkin patch, Country Corner in Alpha, IL. We have a friend who is the program coordinator and we love picking out our pumpkins and popping corn from the fields. They have a great range of activities for the kids and as she gets older she will have new things to do and experience. We always enjoy our time there, even if it is just for the photo ops.

Farmers Market

This year I discovered that the last farmers market in Macomb, IL was called Moon Over Macomb, and that they offered free activates for the kids. They had a straw bail maze, petal tractor race, decorating mini pumpkins, story time, and a horse drawn wagon ride through the square. Not to mention the farmers with their pumpkins, mums, crafts, honey, fruit, and baked goods.

Before we left for town that morning I made two Teal Pumpkin buttons. I simply downloaded a pumpkin outline and printed it out on teal craft paper, I cut them out and wrote 'Teal Pumpkin Project' in black marker and placed them between two sheets of laminating paper. I put tape on the back of mine and fixed it to the lapel of my coat. I had planed on putting the other one on my daughter by deiced against it and dropped it into my purse.

While on the wagon ride one of the moms sitting across from me yelled out, "The Teal Pumpkin Project. I just read about that. We're peanut and tree nut." To which I replied, "We're peanut." She informed me that they were going to be participating and before she went home for the day she was going to be getting her spray paint. It makes me smile to think of moms across the country 'tagging' pumpkins for awareness. Before we got off the wagon I reached into my bag and handed her the other button, I knew I made two for a reason.

Halloween Hoopla

The grade school puts on a Halloween Hoopla the Friday before Halloween. They offer a photo booth, games, activates, costume parade, pumpkin carving contest, and a pizza dinner.

Since my husband is away on work, and it was just going to me and my daughter attending the hoopla I couldn't see how I was going to promote allergy awareness until the PTA started to message me. It started with a question of what to pass out in treat bags for kids with food allergies. To which I sent a brief list and a link to Foodallergy.org/teal-pumpkin-project. When she informed me that she had heard about it on TV, but was unsure what it all meant I saw my chance to educate. I asked for a table at the Hoopla and began planning my education strategies.

First of all I had my Teal Pumpkin, Flyers from the FARE website, and a list of safe treats. Since I couldn't man the table all night with a two year old, I put together a little giveaway to get people to the table. They will drop their names and numbers into a pumpkin to receive a gift bag full of non-food treats.

The picture below is just a little preview of what will be on my table.