Fred Young Park had a lot of spooky celebrities – monsters, zombies, werewolves, dinosaurs, and vampires, and plenty of hot dogs, compliments of the Plains Lions Club, which has put on their Halloween Weenie Roast for more than 60 years.

Lions member Marvin Tanner guessed there were more than 150 people at the annual event, which included roasting hot dogs over an open fire and costume contests for kids and adults. Some banded together for a group theme, such as the Rehbein family, who dressed as World War II characters and were recognized in the club's costume group contest, a new class this year. 

Zach Rehbein was a bomber airman, as was his son, Wyatt, 3. Beth and her daughters, Ayla, 9, and Emma, 6, were "Rosie the Riveters." The other two winning groups were the Lunch Lady Land - Sharon Niemi and Trista Feist, and the Rodeo Kids: Lane French, 5, Maverick Mull, 3, and Daxton Mull, 7 months.

As they have done for the last 10 years, Steve Spurr and his family coordinated costumes, this year as cast members from the television sitcom "Schitt's Creek." Steve, president of the Lions Club, was David Rose. His wife, Whitney, was Stevie. Their daughter, Cooper, was Twyla and daughter, Kendall, was Alexis Rose. Whitney's mother, Margo Tanner, was Moira Rose and her father, Marvin, was Johnny Rose.

This is the first time the Lions have held the event so early in the day, recalled Dave Helterline, who joined the club in 1957 when they held the event on the school's former football field, what is now the E.L. Johnson Memorial Park. This year, the organization held it 4-6 p.m. Tanner said he'd like to see it early again. Helterline agreed. Spurr said they'll look at doing the celebration early next year, when the holiday lands on a Monday. Six Lions helped with the event Sunday, as did four volunteers from Plains High School's Jobs for Montana Graduates - Dawson Brown, Maddie Madden, Hailee Steinebach, and Macey Scott. 

The costume contest this year was divided into four categories in three age groups. In the 0-6-year-olds, the scariest went to Emmalynn Tickner. The cutest was Dalton Vacura. Most original was Lane French. Judges' choice was Rowyn Niemi. In the 7-12 age group, the scariest went to Kiara Brown. Cutest was Kendall Spurr. Most original was Tia Bellinger. In the 13-plus age group, the scariest was Tanner Dubsky. Cutest was Ocean Pry-Hyde. Most original was Ella Delagardelle and the judges' choice was Carter Dubsky. Each winner received a $10 gold coin.

Seventy-nine kids and adults participated in the individual and group contests, which might be the most participation the club has had. The tallest kid at the event was Carter Goins of Plains, who dressed up as Jack Skellington of "The Nightmare Before Christmas." Although Goins was only 13 years old, he towered to nearly seven feet tall, thanks to a pair of construction stilts that he got only two days before Halloween. "I fell a couple times, once on the stairs. I was getting cocky," said Goins, who added that he could take them up to about eight feet high.

Ed Moreth

FINAL TOUCHES – Ten-year-old Lauren Hudson of Thompson Falls shows her mother, Carrie Hudson, her artwork at the Plains Woman's Club pumpkin decorating event at the VFW.

The Plains Woman's Club for the second consecutive year held its Halloween Pumpkin Decorating at the VFW. The club provided orange and white pumpkins and special markers for kids to make their own designs. Club members Marilyn Carey, Debbie Burch, who dressed as a gypsy, Cindy Thomas and Janet Brandon were on hand to help kids. The club had 119 pumpkins, but only five children showed up, possibly because it was held at the same time as the Lions event. Though the numbers were low, there were some nice drawings, said Brandon, who drew a traditional Jack-o-lantern on one pumpkin as a sample. "They were adorable," said Thomas, who added that one child signed his name and displayed it for everyone to see. Kids also drew thank-you cards for the pumpkin donors: Sydney Evans, Kylee Cahoon, Ashley Alder, Marie Evans and Karval Pickering, who has the pumpkin patch in Paradise.

The Plains Woman's Club has been hosting a pumpkin decorating event for six years. The group held it in conjunction with a Halloween gathering at the United Methodist Church in Plains for the first four years, but the church's social hall has not been used since the pandemic began.