Ghouls and goblins mixed freely with princesses and superheroes Sunday at the annual Jefferson City Jaycees Trunk-or-Treat, just one of several Halloween-themed events over the weekend.
Later, the Firley YMCA combined frights and fitness at another one of the events.
All of the costumed characters were after candy, and they found it in abundance at the fairgrounds event, which featured dozens of businesses and community groups opening their vehicle trucks to reveal spooky decor and seemingly endless bags of sweet treats.
"We're out having fun," Robert Wallenmeyer said. He and Stormy Sanchez took their son Robert to the event. "It's safer than Halloween, and it's perfect because we have to work on Halloween," he said.
For a suggested donation of $1, anyone could parade across the fairgrounds and take in as much candy as an average Halloween-night haul.
The Jaycees donate the proceeds to Operation TOYS (Take Our Kids Shopping). Formerly named "Shop with a Cop," the event features law enforcement personnel taking disadvantaged kids shopping for Christmas.
Jess Croka came with daughter Jaiden Kausler, 12, and said the event was nice because it "wasn't freezing like on Halloween sometimes."
Many people at the event said the best thing about it was the safety. April Bashore, who played a big part in creating the event in 2009, said that was one of the goals.
"We (Jaycees) had donated to Operation Toys for a few years," she said. "We said, 'Rather than donate, why not raise the money?'"
That first year, they planned for 1,000 kids and got double that, she said, adding groups handing out candy had to make runs to the store to buy more during the event.
Now, Bashore, a dispatcher at the Jefferson City Police, hands out candy with the JCPD.
She was there with other JCPD representatives, including Red-E-Fox, a costumed character that reminds children of the importance of calling 9-1-1 during emergencies.
"I'm glad to see (the event) grow, and it's an excellent cause," Bashore said. "As a mom, I like that it's a safe way to show off your kids and still go trick-or-treating. Unfortunately, the world isn't what it was when we were kids, so you have to find another way" to go trick-or-treating.
At the Firley YMCA, hundreds of visitors streamed through the building to get a taste of much of what the Y offers, only Halloween-style. The "Haunted" Fitness Center was dimly lit and filled with smoke. Those brave enough to get to the end were rewarded with a treat. Then guests flowed onto the "Treacherous" Track, followed by the gym, which was filled with soft balls and hula hoops for the kids to play with.
Children waited in line to get on an inflatable on the tennis courts, and Y members handed out popcorn to guests as they left.