By Helina Bailey

Trunk or treat comes to Union County this Halloween! For many of us living in rural areas, the neighborhood trick or treating shown in movies isn’t an option. We lack the neighbors, the sidewalks, and sometimes even paved streets. So... what is there to do on a crisp Halloween night when there’s no cookie cutter neighborhoods in sight, but the little ones are all dressed up and ready for a fright? Head to the Union County Farmer’s Market Pavillion for a trunk or treat!
The search for an event that is safe and fun for the whole family this Halloween is over. The Union County Farmer’s Market Pavilion next to the Union County High School is set to host the first annual Trunk or Treat with local businesses providing the “trunks” on Oct 31st from 5-8pm. In addition to the trunk or treating, there will dinner and desert options available on site so parents can take their weary trick or treaters straight to bed when they get home on this school night. You can expect to find food trucks, TK’s Gourmet Food Wagon, Southern Sour, Buttercup Bakehouse, Kona Ice, and the newly built community kitchen will be open with hot food.
Thought up by Leahna Melton and put together with the assistance of Commissioner Danny Cooke and Thomas Skibinski this wonderful night of fun is hoped to the be first of many. With a healthy turnout, Union County can expect the Community Trunk or Treat to return every year with more festivities and a larger budget. For this first trunk or treat, candy donations are appreciated, and can be dropped off at the Union County Mayor’s Office and at The Kitchen Design Center.
Local businesses in Union County are welcome to participate in the event. In order to give parents peace of mind, this Community Trunk or Treat is only allowing local businesses to set up trunks this Halloween. Businesses are invited to apply by Oct 18th to ensure their parking spot is reserved and enough candy is provided for each business to hand out. Please contact Thomas Skibinski at president@ucchamber-tn.com to reserve your trunk spot.
If one night of Trunk or Treating just isn’t enough for you, check out the Trunk of Treat event on October 25th from 5-8pm at Fountain Lanes Strike and Spare bowling alley. This annual Trunk or Treat is in its eighth year, and is sure to be a strike! Candy donations are needed and appreciated, having handed out over $4,000 worth of candy at last year’s event, no candy will go to waste! Fountain Lanes Strike and Spare is accepting prepackaged candy donations all month long in preparation for the huge turnout.
First responders will be handing out the candy to children at the Trunk or Treat. You can expect the fire department, police department, sheriffs, and ambulances to be present and participating this year alongside food, free games, and a bouncy house. In addition to the free games and bounce house, there will be affordable axe throwing, and food and craft vendors.
Due to the large turn outs every year, the Trunk or Treat uses sponsors and vendor fees to fund the purchase of candy and the rental of the bounce house. Vendor booths are $35. $200 donations come with a sign for the sponsor that will be displayed during the event. $400 donations come with a banner for the sponsor. Please contact Ricky Spiva at (865)283-2394 for more information or to apply for a vendor booth. In order to ensure signs and banners are printed in time for the event, please make your donation and request for a sign no later than Oct 22nd.