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NewsMonday, October 22, 2007 9:42 AM CDT
Frightening thrills can be found on Constitution Trail
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NORMAL — Already clad in colorful costumes for a trip to the town’s Haunted Trail, many children also went home Friday night with painted faces and temporary tattoos — but no nightmares.

Some added the tattoos to their Halloween costumes before entering the temporarily haunted section of Constitution Trail near City Hall, where families got a not-so-scary scare as part of the kids-weekend kickoff.

After finishing up on the Haunted Trail — now in its 12th year — volunteer Ben Shander, an Illinois State University freshman clad in a faceless-man costume, directed children to the town’s outdoor theater near the Ahlers Shelter on the path.

There, they could have their faces, still very much attached to them, painted.

“Everybody who goes down the trail has a great time,” said Kersten Wilson, special events supervisor for the Normal Parks and Recreation Department.

“We’ve met the needs of a lot of people,” Wilson said. “Parents can come and not worry about their kids having nightmares for two weeks.”

Normal Parks and Recreation organized this year’s Haunted Trail with help from ISU student volunteers, including the Sigma Chi fraternity, Gamma Phi Beta sorority, the softball team, and classes from the school’s recreation department.

More than 1,000 people visited the trail Friday night, organizers said, with more expected Saturday for Day 2 of the non-scary version. The spookier version is next weekend.

The outdoor theater is a new addition this year. On Friday, children played tag and rolled down the grassy hills in front of the theater, while others had their faces painted and munched on popcorn.

New costumes, old favorites

Volunteers also rolled out some new costumers this year, many from the movies, including Shrek, Harry Potter and pirates from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series.

Haley Butler, 7, of Normal went as perennial favorite Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz.” She was there with her sister, Leila, 4, and her parents, Colby and Nidia.

Nidia Butler said the $1 price of admission (or canned food donation) was her favorite part of the trail. Colby Butler said the hayride won him over because he didn’t get a chance to experience that growing up in Chicago.

“It’s becoming a family tradition. It’s a nice way to start Halloween,” said Nidia Butler, adding this is the family’s third or fourth year visiting the trail.

While the trail will get scarier, the first two days were designed with children and those easily frightened in mind.

A gruesome greeter stood under an arch painted with tombstones for “Shirley Dyin” and other fictional unfortunates. The greeter told groups of children before they entered the trail that if a scary person spooks them, they can say, “Monsters, go away!” and the frightening figure will let them be.

But few children, if any, needed to use this technique.

“It’s a good time. It’s not too scary,” said Jack Shanahan, who was escorting a young friend named Jackson.

Scary good time



What: Normal’s Haunted Trail (on Constitution Trail), the scarier version

When: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Where: Participants line up behind Normal City Hall, with the event running along the trail from Vernon Avenue to the Parks and Recreation annex, 611 S. Linden St.

More info: $1 admission; concessions will be available at the end of the trail and a hayrack ride back to City Hall will complete the evening

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Reader comments on this story - 6 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

To: Candy wrote on Oct 22, 2007 3:18 PM:

" "I wouldn't go out walking on Constitution Trail on a dare no matter what time of day it was" Are you kidding me? What fantasy world do you live in where you think CONSTITUTION TRAIL is dangerous? Wow. "

Great time wrote on Oct 22, 2007 3:09 PM:

" This was our first time on the haunted trail, my son is almost 3. He loved it! So did my husband and I. This will now be a tradition for us at Halloween. Thanks so much for making it a great experience! "

Katy wrote on Oct 22, 2007 11:48 AM:

" I went on Saturday night, and I am thoroughly impressed. I was with friends who had young children (one and two), and the trail was dark, but the scary people knew that little children were coming, and waved to them. They were not scared at all. "

Good Job! wrote on Oct 22, 2007 8:04 AM:

" Once again Kersten Wilson and her large group of volunteers has pulled of a successful haunted trail! Our family has been involved, in one way or another, since it's inception. First as paraticipants, and later as volunteers. We have enjoyed watching the evolution of the event, as different freatures were added, different effects tried....but most of all we have enjoyed watching the support the community has goven this event. Kersten is a tireless worker and excellent cheerleader for her volunteers, but the event would not succeed year after year without the volunteer force. Some, like my family, volunteer year after year. Others come for just a day or two. Different service clubs, classes and groups at both ISU and IWU have porvided excellent support. As a community, we should applaud this effort as an example of ture community integration...town and gown....for everyone's benefit! "

Candy wrote on Oct 22, 2007 6:56 AM:

" I wouldn't go out walking on Constitution Trail on a dare no matter what time of day it was. Of course I know that very few are in Springfield 2 or 3 times a week like I am. But when I am in Springfield I go to Washington Park and walk. It is a really nice place and the park police are always there driving around. "

Thanks to Normal P&R! wrote on Oct 21, 2007 11:53 PM:

" The Haunted Trail is a great Halloween event and tradition. I have taken my kids for years. They always look forward to it. Thank you to the Normal Parks & Rec. Dept. for this annual holiday event that is very affordable. Most everyone can afford $1.00. We cannot afford some of the other haunted houses in the area, some of which have admission fees that are more than $10.00 per person. For a family of six, like mine, we cannot justify $60.00 or more on a visit to a haunted house. That is the main reason that the Haunted Trail is so important to the community. "

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