The third annual Freeport Halloween Festival will feature fire breathers, live entertainment, amusement rides, food, crafts and more Friday through Sunday.

Admission is free for the festival, which will be held in the heart of Freeport at James E. Swartz Sr. Memorial Field.

The town’s two previous three-day Halloween festivals drew about 10,000 visitors each, said Tyler Huth, one of the organizers and owner of G&T Sports Cards Plus on Fifth Street.

“We think our event is different because we have a large variety of crafts and food and a nice lineup of entertainment,” Huth said. “We have a carnival with the Halloween feel.”

This year promises to be as exciting with around 90 craft and business vendors, 10 food vendors, live entertainment, nine amusement rides and music all three days, Huth said.

Festival highlights include a fire show on Friday at 8:30 p.m. showcasing fire breathers; a vendor trick-or-treat for all ages, just so long as they are in costume on Saturday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and a magic show from noon to 1:30 p.m.

The Steel City Ghostbusters will be on hand for a meet-and-greet on Friday and Saturday nights from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Mayor Zack Gent said the variety of events and fall and Halloween themes make the festival popular with the public.

“It has a little bit of everything for everybody,” he said.

“It’s also the most family-friendly event with kids,” Gent said.

Saturday’s trick-or-treat with vendors will give rural kids a chance to stop for candy in a small, manageable area, he added.

“The timing of the festival is perfect,” Gent said. “It’s kind of like the last hurrah for outdoor carnivals.”

The carnival hours are: Friday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Sat. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sun 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit Freeport Halloween Carnival Facebook page

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