Ripley's Trick or Treat Kickoff Karnival in Gatlinburg Will Be a Dress Up Delight

Halloween is fast approaching, and Gatlinburg is ground zero for thousands of enthusiasts dressed up as their favorite villain, superhero, celebrity, or cartoon figure. The Ripley’s Aquarium is the site to gather once again, as the Trick or Treat Kickoff Karnival enters its 16th year to frighteningly fantastic results. You don’t have to don a costume to fully get in the spirit… pun intended.

It simply can’t take place at any other time than October 31. From 11-3, there will be hundreds of trick or treaters on the plaza of the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies in downtown Gatlinburg. Activities for the event will include games, toys, food, candy (of course), and a costume contest.

Larger prizes can be won from the 50-cent games that are available. The good thing about putting in for these prizes is that it’s going to a good cause. The Forgotten Child Fund will be receiving the proceeds. This is an organization made up of volunteers who collect toys for needy kids and families in the Chattanooga area, ensuring they have a Christmas tree encircled with gifts. This charitable organization’s beginning, dating back to 1961, is a heartening story you should read. Last year, according to their website, they gave more than 13,000 children a Christmas they may not have had without their help.

The fun doesn’t end when the festivities do at the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies; it’s only the beginning. Many area businesses in downtown Gatlinburg participate in the candy-giving to kids, making the entire Parkway a hallowed ground for buckets full of candy and costumes worn by kids and adults alike.

I’ll admit, I don’t really get into dressing up as anything or anyone. I was probably a pre-teen the last time I truly wore a costume on Halloween, if not earlier—maybe more like single digits. However, it’s cool seeing all the creativity and fun people are having. I’m not about to be a Debbie Downer; I sure got a kick out it last year, taking a good many pictures of people earnestly into the whole festival atmosphere of Halloween. I’ll be in the midst of it all again, just not as a character other than my real life persona… or will I? Anything’s possible, I guess.

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