Fall Festival is Saturday at First Church of God

Poplar Bluff First Church of God’s Fall Festival will be from 4-6 p.m. Sunday at 3482 S. Westwood Blvd. The event is open to the public.

“We are revamping our Fall Festival this year,” said Pastor Ben Higgins. “We didn’t want to compete with a million other businesses, churches and organizations on the same night. Our emphasis is less on Halloween and more on harvest. We’ll be handing out candy; there will be a hayride, pumpkins, all that’s free.”

As in the past, it is planned as an outdoor experience. If it rains, activities will be moved to the gymnasium.

Higgins describes the church’s festival as “a safe place, safe environment for families to bring their kids to get some candy a week ahead of Halloween. Parents will be able to come and have a good time with the youngsters, get candy and enjoy good weather.

“Youngsters may dress in costume. They can bring bags. We’ll supply bags if the child doesn’t have one.”

When youth and parents first arrive, Higgins said, “they’ll see vehicles backed up to the walking track where as they walk along, we hand out candy.”

Higgins said, “families actually go down our walking track on the back part of our property to the hayride, which heads toward the far end of the property to the pumpkin patch.”

The families will get off to pick which pumpkin they want before heading back to the church.

There will be concessions under the pavilion on the property.

“We always try to think in terms of something that’s easy for kids and parents to have and make it super, super affordable,” Higgins said.

“We are going to have additional games to play. It’s nothing they have to do to get candy. They’ll get candy no matter. We’ll have other engaging games for them to play,” he added.

An added bonus, “we haven’t had in the years past is a jelly ball event,” Higgins said. “It’s hard to explain, but it’s just a game for kids.”

Higgins has been told “it dissolves, so what I understand it doesn’t stain. It doesn’t do like what you would think it would.”

A local company will provide the jelly ball event.

Higgins and church members have been working on the event for two months. Along with those who do the advance work, “we’ll probably have 50 to 75 folks who come out to service the event, to make it happen and make it go well,” said Higgins, adding “It’s a fun event and it’s super, it is very easy for us to put on. It’s really rewarding for families because everything will be accessible. Play will be free and it gives them something to do on a Sunday afternoon and they don’t have to fight the crowd because it’s outdoors. It’s on our estate, you’ve got space, which kind of helps with COVID stipulations and concerns. You’re not always bound shoulder to shoulder in a small area.

“I would almost term it a COVID-friendly environment as it concerns spacing.”