It’s time for the spookiest season of the year… sort of.
Fridays at the Fort Frances Public Library Technology Centre (FFPLTC) are always full of fun and games, but this Friday, August 4, things will be taking on a special holiday flair. On that day, visitors to the library will get to enjoy a special Summerween event that brings Halloween back to town a little bit earlier than usual.
Joelle Bruyere is organizing the event in the Children’s Department at the library, and she said she wanted to do something big and special for everyone this summer, and when plans for a princess-themed tea party fell apart, she decided to pivot to a most beloved holiday.
“People do Christmas in July all the time, and I knew we wanted to do something special,” Bruyere said.
“So we settled on Halloween, or ‘Summerween,’ as we’re putting it. It’s going to be super exciting. It’s a full day and we’re showing two movies, starting off with ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ and then ‘Hocus Pocus,’ and in between shows we’re going to have a snack trolley come through, so we’ll have stuff like bear paws, but also maybe have a witch’s brew and other things like that.”
However, recognizing that some kids aren’t always comfortable with spooky movies, Bruyere also said that there will be plenty of other activities to keep everyone entertained and having fun.
“We’re going to have different games going on during those movies,” she explained.
“We’re going to do ‘make a mummy’ where you wrap yourself in toilet paper as fast as you can, we’re going to have the Mystic Zelda, and she’ll read your fortune. We’ll also have colouring sheets and a bunch of other fun activities going on that are going to be Halloween themed.”
The days event runs from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the library, and everyone is invited to join them in their favourite Halloween costume, especially considering that many Halloweens in the district fall on a day that is cold enough to need a winter coat overtop of a costume, so this event means that everyone can show off their stuff without worrying about the weather. For anyone who doesn’t have the perfect costume ready to go, face painting will also be available.
The event also allows the library staff to get in on the fun as well, since they are normally quite busy with the annual Trunk or Treat celebrations each year.
“Halloween is already so chaotic and so busy for us with Trunk or Treat, so we aren’t really able to have something like this,” Bruyere said.
“I know a lot of the staff love Halloween so much, and so sometimes it’s just really hard to wait for that one day a year. I’m already seeing all my friends, they’re talking about Halloween, and I’m seeing all these things on Instagram and TikTok and social media where everyone is ready for the season. So I figured, why not?”
Bruyere said she’s excited to have everyone come to the library to enjoy their Summerween event, so be sure to mark your calendar for this Friday to take in some early, spooky fun.
