The annual event, which brings children downtown for a safe trick-or-treating option, has included businesses and volunteers at Tonganoxie Elementary School handing out candy. Other activities, such as a haunted house, also have been done in conjunction with the event, but this year’s plans call for additional activities.

Dimmy Knipp with Tan Time and Monica Gee with Wizards of Paws are spearheading plans for this year’s event in coordination with the Tonganoxie Recreation Commission and Tonganoxie’s Entrepreneurs Achieving Success Together.

This year’s festivities will go from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 31.

“We’re very excited to have some of the highway businesses and all Tonganoxie businesses involved this year,” Gee said. “This event is growing and we want to invite everyone in the community to something that is completely safe.

Fourth Street will be blocked off in the downtown area for the Halloween night event.

Gee said it would be a prime opportunity for local businesses to promote themselves at a community event.

“We want to benefit the businesses as well as the kids of our community,” she said.

Games and activities planned so far are a zombie dance-off, pumpkin bowling, skeleton scavenger hunt, musical pumpkins, witch’s broom race, pumpkin toss, hula hoop contest, costume contest and a hay maze.

Areas also will be designated for a costume contest and a screening of a spooky movie.

Organizers are encouraging downtown businesses to hand out candy along Fourth Street while displaying banners, signage or information about their businesses. For business owners who do not have locations downtown, they are welcome to hand out candy in the downtown area.

Knipp said organizers would work with those businesses to determine where they could set up shop in the downtown district.

She said usually 1,500 youths come through the downtown area for Spooktacular.

Businesses sponsoring the various activities so far are First State Bank and Trust, Lynch Real Estate, Tallette’s Café, Himpel Lumber, The Learning Circle, Dance Strong, Midwest Chiropractic Center, Todd’s Tire, Flashbacks, City of Angels Thrift Store, American Legion Post 41, Kelly Law Office and Tonganoxie FFA.

Knipp said more game ideas and sponsors were welcomed.

For more information, to donate candy or to volunteer, contact Knipp at Tan Time, 913-845-0003 or Gee at 913-416-0255.

Candy donations also are welcomed and can be dropped off at Tan Time from 10 a.m.-6:45 p.m. Mondays through Fridays or 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays. Tan Time is at 522 E. Fourth St. in the former downtown post office building.

Tonganoxie police will be on hand at the event to help ensure a safe environment for the youths. Heartland Equine Hospital, a new business situated between Tonganoxie and Basehor just north of U.S. Highway 24-40, will have X-ray equipment on hand to check candy throughout the evening.

“Even though it’s a safe trick-or-treat, that’s an added bonus,” Gee said.