(Photo by Shelley Hanson) Posing together in their Halloween costumes during the Paden City Haunted Trail on Oct. 21 are, from left, 4-year-old Hudson Smith dressed as Luigi; 6-year-old Jameson Briner dressed as a Minion; and 5-year-old Logan Dunlap dressed as a phantom. Hudson is the son of Michelle Smith. Jameson is the son of Cassie Briner. Logan is the son of Jessica Dunlap. They all reside in Paden City.

PADEN CITY – Hundreds of children dressed in costumes ranging from spooky to whimsical got their bags filled with sweet Halloween treats during the Paden City Haunted Trail held Oct. 21 at the city’s riverside park.

Organizer Tommy Trader, vice president of the Paden City Park and Pool Commission, said 684 children attended the two-hour event. Adding in the adults accompanying the children, Trader estimated that up to 2,000 people made their way through the park.

“It’s a safe way for kids to get their candy,” Trader said. “With Trick or Treat anymore, you never know. It’s not like it was when we were kids. And I love doing this for the kids.”

Trader said he contacts local businesses, organizations and churches to hand out candy at decorated treat stations along the park’s trail. There were also three different haunted houses for them to walk through. Hayrides were also available through the park.

This year 43 stations were set up to give out candy.

“When I started 10 years ago we only had 25 stations. … It costs $2 per child and it goes toward taking care of the park,” he said.

Trader noted the children typically leave the park with a large sack of candy to take home.

“I feel sorry for the parents,” he quipped. “But they have a blast and I have a blast with it, too. … I just love seeing the kids dressed up. That’s why I’ve been doing it for so long.”

The children wore a variety of costumes with some of the favorites being the Minions, Wednesday, Super Mario, Lightning McQueen, Spongebob, and superheroes like Batman and Ironman. There were a few scarier costumes including the Nun, the Phantom, Art the Clown, Ghostface, and some blowup costumes including a dinosaur, rooster and alien. Also spotted were a few scarecrows and princesses.

Ed Probst and Tom Pennel volunteered to take children on the hayrides. Probst used a John Deere tractor loaned by Bridgeport Equipment & Tool, to pull a flatbed filled with hay bales. Probst said he enjoys helping to provide hay rides each year.

“I really love to watch the kids. The kids really get a big kick out of it. Of course I’m a big kid at heart anyway,” Probst said.

He noted the hayrides typically go non-stop during the event.

“I said I don’t care if it’s midnight, as long as a kid wants to go for a ride, I’ll stay here and give them a ride,” Probst said.

People began lining up about an hour before the event’s start time. By the time it began the line stretched past the swimming pool and into the baseball field parking lot.

Candy stations included those manned by: REM, Paden City Lions Club, Friendly City Lions Club, Gabriel Project, Domino’s, Citizens Bank, First Christian Church of Sistersville, Union Bank of New Martinsville, Paden City Library, Wetzel Tyler Libertarian Party, EZ Care, Nazarene Church of Paden City, Sexual Assault Center, WesBanco, Bayer, Bayer, Ace, Sistersville Hospital, McDonald’s, Eagles, Garden Club, Center for Children and Families, Shoe Sensation, Lisa Shepherd State Farm, St. Mary’s Correctional Center, First Choice Realty, Friends of the Pool, Wendy’s, Burger King, Sistersville Genesis Center, Post Office of Paden City, New Martinsville Health and Rehabilitation, Packy’s, Neffs Garage, YWCA, FRN, West Virginia Adult Education, Wetzel County Emergency Management, Paden City fire and police departments, Boy Scouts, 304 Outkasts, Jarvis Williams Funeral Home and Legion Auxiliary.

Sponsors who contributed money to purchase extra candy included Brenda Botigan, Walmart of New Martinsville, Cardyn Adcock, Tim Bidwell, Paden City Development Authority and Marble King.