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Date: 9/15/2022
EAST LONGMEADOW – The East Longmeadow Recreation Department (ELRD) has lined up family-friendly events for the fall season.
To kick off the season, Celebrate East Longmeadow will take place at Center Field on Sept. 24, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“Primarily, the Rotary [Club] does that but we tag along,” Recreation Department Director Donna Prather said of the annual event. The Rotarian food truck will have a variety of fare including butter-dipped corn and loaded baked potatoes.
Prather said there will be plenty of entertainment in the form of live music, a cheerleading performance, dancers, a truck show, tractor rides and a bounce house. First responders and town departments, such as the library, will be on hand to distribute information and talk with residents.
There will also be Free Family Community Yoga with Lisa Katz from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Katz recommends participants sign up in advance and bring a towel or yoga mat.
On Oct. 1, the First Congregational Church, 7 Somers Rd., will host an all-age Monster Mash Dance from 6 to 8 p.m. A DJ will play music and there will be snacks and refreshments. Attendees are encouraged to wear a costume. This event has a registration fee of $18.
Two events take place Oct. 29. In the morning, the ELRD has partnered with 4RUN3 for the Spooky Sprint, a 5K that takes off from Center Field at 9 a.m. The registration hour begins at 7:30 a.m.
The flat, family-friendly course will take runners through the center and outskirts of town. Kids 12 and under will receive a Halloween tote, and there will be trick or treat opportunities along the route. There will also be post-race music and a Halloween treat. Costumes are encouraged.
Registration costs $15 for kids 12 years of age and under and $25 for those 13 years of age and up. The proceeds benefit the ELRD Scholarship Program, sponsoring children’s participation in Recreation Department programs, regardless of financial means.
To register for the race, visit https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/EastLongmeadow/ELSpookySprint5k.
That evening, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., the “Not So Scary Trunk or Treat” will be hosted by ELRD and the Rotary Club. Decorated vehicles will be parked at Pleasant View Senior Center, 328 N. Main St., for children to visit and collect candy. In addition to trick or treating, there will be food, games and a haunted house.
Three of the four fall community events are made possible through partnerships, whether with 4RUN3 or the Rotary Club.
“We’re always looking to do more,” Prather told Reminder Publishing. “We’re turning to partnerships because of resources. Our budget is all about donations and registration fees.”
The little municipal funding received by the department pays the administrative costs and salaries for the staff of five employees. The programs are mainly run by volunteers, without whom the department, “couldn’t get along,” Prather said. Even so, with fewer volunteers, more of the work has fallen to the small department staff.
The good news, Prather said, is that ELRD has seen an influx of interest in its programs, especially tennis and swimming. “First time users this fall is crazy,” she said, speculating that new families with children have moved into the town.
To register for Recreation Department events, visit https://eastlongmeadowma.myrec.com.