The Children’s Safety Village hosted ITS annual Halloween Fun Fair on Wednesday where children dressed up in various costumes as they paraded through the streets trick-or-treating.

“The Halloween Fun Fair is just a night that families can come and trick-or-treat at all the miniature buildings,” said Jessica Dayton, associate director of the safety village.

The Children’s Safety Education Village holds this event every year on the Wednesday before Halloween. The 26-building miniature village is utilized for safety courses throughout the year, as well as holiday events.

Dayton and Executive Director Terri Kindberg were handling general admission as the line grew longer and longer.

The Children’s Safety Education Village in Ashville held its annual Halloween Fun Fair on Wednesday. Lots of candy and Halloween treats were handed out to kids. P-J photo by Jordan W. Patterson

Dayton said parents can use this event as an alternative to taking their children trick-or-treating if they didn’t want to do so in the village or the community on Halloween.

“It’s a safe environment and the kids can have a good time trick-or-treating in all the buildings,” Dayton said.

On top of trick-or-treating, the Halloween Fun Fair offered a train ride on the Safety Village Express and a tractor ride on a tractor donated by LandPro Equipment.

“A hundred percent of our proceeds go to the Children’s Safety Village,” Dayton said. “That helps us fund our bike, traffic and fire safety programs that we have for the community.”

The Children’s Safety Education Village typically has a similar event called The Town of Terror for adults and older children but elected not to have it this year. Other events similar to the Halloween Fun Fair are held during other holidays such as Christmas and Easter. The Children’s Safety Education Village has been operating as a non-profit since 2010 with goal of promoting safety awareness.

Dayton said her favorite moment of the Halloween Fun Fair is simply seeing the young children smiling and having a good time.

“The kids have such wonderful costumes that they’re in and they’re just so happy,” Dayton said. “When the kids are happy, we’re happy.”