Pen Park Hosts Spooktacular Candlelight Walk on Oct. 12

Peninsula State Park will host its Spooktacular Candlelight Walk on Oct. 12. This year’s Spooktacular features a mile-long, pumpkin-lit trail, a ‘world premier’ skit “Smokey Bear’s Friends Save the Forest,” a sing-along bonfire, and light refreshments. The event runs from 5 to 7:30 pm.

Nature crafts promise hands-on fun. Northern Door Firefighters will be on hand showing nifty fire-fighting gear. Of course, Smokey Bear (a.k.a. volunteer Scotty Weborg) will be the Spooktacular’s special guest, shaking paws with kids as he shares his fire safety message. The event is free but a state park vehicle admission sticker is required. Donations are appreciated.

Two hundred people attended the first Spooktacular 12 years ago, and in recent years, as many as 2,200 people enjoyed the magic of the woods at dusk.

“The event could not be such a remarkable success without the help of volunteers,” said Kathleen Harris, who has served as the Peninsula State Park naturalist since 1998.

At least 12,000 people attend the park’s nature programs each year, and thousands more participate in initiatives such as Like to Hike, Talking Tombstones, and PSP Digs Reading.

The park is currently planning some improvements to the nature center. Built in 1939 as a winter warming house, the nature center attracted 4,240 visitors in July and 4,699 in August of this year.

People can support nature center improvements by visiting the Friends of Peninsula State Park website at peninsulafriends.org.

For more information about attending Spooktacular call 920.854.5976. Anyone interested in volunteering at the event should contact Kathleen Harris at [email protected].