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Good Takes On Evil At Fall Festival

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By PAUL CATALA, Tribune correspondent

Published: November 3, 2007

TEMPLE TERRACE - It was evil versus good, while others played it safe and just stayed neutral.

Out and about were Spider-Man and Batman, as well as sword-wielding ninjas, pirates, walking skeletons and other evildoers scaring up things. To balance things out, the Wizard of Oz's Dorothy, Winnie the Pooh, Little Miss Muffet, winged fairies and sauntering butterflies strolled the grounds.

The assorted cast of characters got together in a seasonal truce Oct. 27 during the annual Fall Festival at the Temple Terrace Family Recreation Complex. About 1,000 children, parents and other guests - many in costume - took part in the event.

The festival came alive - or, rather, raised the dead - with ghouls, ghosts and monsters.

Most of the costumes were of the comic book variety, however. The festival was themed "Superheroes and Villains," and there were certainly plenty of them around.

The event began with a personal greeting from two witches. Dressed in black dresses and tall hats, Ann Simmons and Geneva Meier welcomed each visitor with hugs and a dip into a candy bucket.

"We want the kids to come up. We're nice witches," Simmons said.

From there, families headed for the indoor trick-or-treating.

"Trick or treat!" hollered 3-year-old Michael Richards, dressed as a ninja. From behind a Spider-Man-decorated office door, an anonymous hand reached out from the darkness and put candy into Michael's Halloween bag.

Next, families headed out to the pool area for food and face painting. There also were hayrides and games.

The big event of the evening was the costume contest.

Walking around the gym was the Richardson family, dressed as Winnie the Pooh characters.

Holding his 9-month-old daughter, Anastasia, dressed as Piglet, and standing with his daughter, Lauren, 5, dressed as Tigger, Chris Richardson said that his family tries to dress with a united theme each year.

"Two years ago, it was Cinderella; this year, Winnie the Pooh," he said.

"This is a fun, community event where you don't have to worry where the kids are, and you know what they're getting."

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