Valley Parks and Rec readies full slate of fall programming
BY SAM VISE
THE LAFAYETTE SUN
VALLEY — After wrapping up a busy summer season of youth sports camps and community activities, the city of Valley Parks and Recreation Department is transitioning into autumn with a packed lineup of family events throughout October.
The department oversees recreational operations across the Valley area, spanning the Valley Community Center, Valley Sportsplex, two regulation football fields, an amphitheater overlooking a small lake, Rails to Trails, Valley City Park and Shawmut Airport.
The fall calendar kicks off Saturday, Oct. 3, with the department’s biannual Community Yard Sale held outside in the Valley Community Center parking lot from 8 to 11 a.m. ET.
“It’s $5 to sign up, and you get two parking spaces worth of space to sell,” said Annabel Thompson, program coordinator for the Valley Parks and Recreation Department. “Regular yard sale stuff, furniture, tools, toys or whatever you can load up and fit in your spot. It’s just a good opportunity so you don’t have to do it in your own front yard; it’s a little bit safer of an option. So far, there’s going to be 35 different participants, so you’ll have 35 little mini yard sales to shop from if you’re a customer.”
On Saturday, Oct. 10, the department will host a free community movie night inside the Valley Community Center gym, showing “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” starting at 7 p.m. ET.
“That’ll be completely free, and we are going to offer your basic movie concessions like popcorn, drinks and candy for sale,” Thompson said. “But you can bring in whatever you want, just bring a blanket or a lawn chair to sit on in our gym.”
Thompson said staff will dress in themed gear and encouraged moviegoers to attend in costume as well.
Combining two previously separate fall events, the department will host the Spooky Splash Pumpkin Bash on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the Valley Community Center pool deck and indoor pool. The event runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m. ET for children ages 5 to 12. Admission is free for community center members and $4 for guests.
“We’re going to throw little mini pumpkins in the pool so the kids can dive in, grab them and hop out,” Thompson said. “Then we’re going to get some of the bigger carving pumpkins as well for people to carve. We’ll still have little sticker faces like we did last year, if that’s what the kids prefer, but we’ll also have stuff for carving.”
Participants will receive tea lights for carved creations and take-home goodie bags before open swimming concludes the evening.
The month wraps up on Friday, Oct. 30, at the Valley Sportsplex with the annual Fall Festival from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. ET, followed immediately by the haunted hayride running from 7:30 to 10 p.m. ET ($2 per rider). Vendor registration and volunteer rosters for the festival and Trick-or-Treat Trail are now open, with detailed entertainment schedules to come.
“We’re just trying to provide fun memories,” Thompson said. “It’s all about providing opportunities for connection. We do a lot of athletic stuff, but some of it is just for social connection, too. That is really what I look forward to — that’s the [most fun] part of my job — is getting to provide these fun opportunities for everyone. I feel like I have the coolest job in the world… Our little area is pretty special.”
The Valley Community Center is located at 130 Sportsplex Drive in Valley. For more information about upcoming programs, find Valley Parks and Recreation on Facebook or visit vpr.recdesk.com/Community/Home.
