Trunk or Treat draws unexpected crowd

The Shafter Lions Club held their Trunk or Treat event on Thursday night and drew a larger than expected crowd of Shafter residents. This year was the first Trunk or Treat event in two years and it was held this year at the parking lot of the Superior Court buildings.

According to Gilbert Alvarado of the Lions Club, they didn't know what to expect this year. "We weren't sure what kind of turnout we would have this year, with it being the first one in a couple of years, but we are running out of hot dogs and have ordered a lot of pizza for the crowd," said Alvarado.

He said that they had brought enough hot dogs for 300 people, but the attendance passed that mark before the halfway point of the event. There were over 30 vehicles, with their trunks decorated in a variety of themes, such as Frankenstein, the Joker and the Haunted House, as well as a witch.

Each vehicle was handing out candy and goodies to the kids. Children were dressed up in a great variety of costumes, from dinosaurs, Power Rangers, to ghosts and goblins.

There were even a few semi-trucks decorated that drew a good crowd to look at their decorations.

These events have become a popular Halloween event in many areas, with residents wanting a safe place for their kids to go for the holiday. "With all of the craziness that can happen nowadays, this is a great thing to have. I feel a lot safer here than going around door to door," said Pete Flores, who was at the event with his two children. " This is a lot of fun and I feel more comfortable here than wandering around town."