photo by Hannah Reel

Longwood Halloween Carnival Chairman Gina Cauthen spreads spider web while decorating the house Thursday for this Saturday’s event.

Longwood Halloween Carnival aims to spook

By Jennifer Edwards (Contact) | The Natchez Democrat

Published Friday, October 23, 2009

NATCHEZ — Ghosts, goblins and ghouls will be out in Natchez before Halloween night.

The spooky creatures are expected to arrive in droves at the Pilgrimage Garden Club annual Longwood Halloween Carnival from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Longwood, located off of Lower Woodville Road.

The festival will be a fun fundraiser toward the restoration of Longwood.

Admission is $3 for children and $5 for adults. Bracelets can be purchased at the carnival to participate in the games, arts and crafts, hayrides and other activities.

Gina Cauthen, carnival co-chairman, said there should be something for all ages to enjoy at the carnival.

“We will have a fortune telling witch that is always popular, a jumper, a photo booth and pumpkin patch,” Cauthen said. “And we’ll have at least two televisions with satellite for those dad’s who don’t want to miss the games.”

As always, there will be two different hayrides, Cauthen said. The early one is for those who just want to enjoy the ride. The second is for the brave souls at the carnival.

“This year we have added to the scary hayride, and it’s pretty spooky,” she said.

Longwood itself will be pretty spooky, too.

“The CYO at St. Mary does the haunted house part of it for us,” Cauthen said. “They have worked hard.”

The pumpkin patch is also expected to be a popular attraction. The patch gives children a chance to pick their pumpkin, paint it and take it home.

“They can paint it however they want, take it home and carve it or leave like it is,” she said. “It is something the kids really enjoyed last year.”

Cauthen said the garden club decided to host the Halloween carnival the Saturday before Halloween to give kids more than once chance to enjoy the fun holiday.

“We didn’t want to compete with anyone or have people pick what they wanted to do,” Cauthen said. “We want everyone to come out an enjoy Longwood and not have to rush out for their neighborhood trick-or-treating.”

Children are encouraged to wear their costumes. Carnival T-shirts will also be for sale.