Third grade students parade through Cedarville Elementary School Monday, November 2. The school held its annual parade two days after Halloween, owing to the school being closed for illness Friday, October 30. Pictured are Deserray Pegg as a Cedarville High School cheerleader, Rachael Rye as a candy-corn witch, and Caroline Freel as Pocahontas. They are in Carrie Carr's class. Cleopatra was there. Cinderella and Wolverine were there, too. Witches, princesses, ninjas, soldiers, hockey players, and butterflies were all there. Ghastly ghouls from all over St. Ignace gathered at two community parties Saturday, October 31, to celebrate Halloween.

Children celebrated the day starting at Little Bear East Arena at an open skate party, and later played games to earn candy and prizes at Hallelujah Night at St. Ignace Middle School.

More than 40 children put on their Halloween costumes and laced up their skates at the ice rink Saturday afternoon as they skated to Halloween-themed music and played games.

Kennedy Kammers, 7, as a witch, (from left) Sierra Metz, 10, as Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz," Callie Kammers, 10, as a hockey player, and Jade Edelman, 10, as Cleopatra, skate together during the Halloween open skate party at Little Bear East Arena Saturday, October 31. About 40 youngsters participated in the party hosted by the city recreation department. Those who dressed up were judged for the scariest, funniest, and cutest costumes. Austin Wachnicki won the contest for the scariest costume as the wolfman, Cooper Johnston won for the funniest costume as WHAT, and Marlee Huskey won for the cutest costume as a hippie. They each won a free round of bowling at Gateway Lanes, a skating pass at Little Bear East, and a DVD.

After the sun set, children and their parents crowded the St. Ignace streets going door-todoor in search of candy. To get out of the rain and brisk winds outside, more than 120 youngsters went to the sixth annual Hallelujah Night at St. Ignace Middle School sponsored by St. Ignace area churches.

MACKINAW CITY: Terralyn Tarrant carefully winds tissue paper around Tabatha Peariso during the Mummy Wrap-Up game Friday, October 30. Both girls enjoyed the Halloween game in Christy Beauchamp's third grade class at Mackinaw City Public Schools. Pastor Dan Williams of the Assembly of God Church said the event is an alternative way for children to enjoy Halloween and learn a little bit about faith. About 100 children attend the party each year. The party is organized each year by Glen Memorial Baptist Church, Assembly of God Church, and Straits Evangelical Free Church.

"It's just an opportunity for kids to get out of the cold," he said. "Some of these kids may not get to go trick-or-treating."

ST. IGNACE (AT LEFT): Elementary principal Kari Visnaw and Elizabeth Colegrove, dressed as Snow White, lead the parade for the developmental kindergarden class during the Halloween parade at St. Ignace schools Friday, October 30. Elementary and middle school students participated and parents came to school to see the little ones in costume. Children could play 16 games, including football toss, duck pond, and matching games, to earn Halloween money that could be turned in for prizes and toys. They also had the opportunity to get a two-pound bag of candy if they listened to three Bible stories, "The Lost Sheep," "The Lost Coin," and "The Prodigal Son," as told by event volunteers.

Children are discouraged from wearing scary and gory costumes at the annual party, Pastor Williams said, because the event is more about having fun than scaring others.

"The kids deserve to have a good Halloween," he said. "Halloween's supposed to be fun."
HALLELUJAH NIGHT, ST. IGNACE: More than 120 children attended the sixth annual Hallelujah Night at St. Ignace Middle School Saturday, October 31. St. Ignace churches organize the party as an alternative to trick-or-treating, providing another way for children to enjoy Halloween.
GROS CAP SCHOOL: Children of Gros Cap School march around the building in their costumes during a Halloween parade Friday, October 30.
ST. IGNACE (BELOW): Students (from left) Ryan Litzner, Cooper Johnston, and Brandon Oja, dressed as Mexican cheese, a chick magnet, and Pac-Man, respectively, pose for a photograph during the school's Halloween parade.