GOBLINS, GHOSTS INVADE MALL KIDS' TRICK-OR-TREAT FESTIVAL

The annual trick-or-treat festival at West Park Mall had everything: Men in Black, witches, pumpkins, a few Dalmatians, ghosties and ghoulies.

And a partridge in a pear tree.

Alana Newell, 10, of Scott City didn't have her holidays mixed up.

She just recycled a costume.

"My mom made it and it was from a Christmas concert at school last year," Alana said.

Her mother, Dorothy Newell, said the costume -- complete with quilted bird legs and a plastic pear tree -- took many hours of labor.

"My machine didn't like the material at all," she said.

The work paid off: Alana won second place in the costume contest in her age category.

Newell was one of hundreds of trick-or-treaters who turned out for the event.

Mall merchants handed out candy, and shoppers dodged goblins as the trick-or-treaters trooped through the mall.

Kelsey Overbeck, 5, of Pocahontas was decked out as a firefighter for the evening.

She said she learned about firefighters at school.

"We have to get out of burning buildings," she said.

Her mother, Pat Overbeck, said this is the second year Kelsey has gone trick-or-treating at the mall.

"Plus you know they're getting good treats. You don't have to worry about them getting anything bad," she said.

Several families decked out in group costumes, including candy bars, the Men in Black from the summer hit movie and a family of sunflowers.

One bunch was decked out in turbans and veils.

"We're sultans," said 11-year-old Josh Crowden.

He and his brother, Jordy, 7, were trick-or-treating with their aunt, Cara Crowden, and friend Kelsie Ramos, 5.

"We're the belly dancers and they're here to guard us and keep us safe," Cara Crowden, a Scott City resident, said.

Threatening weather sent them to the mall, she said.

"We thought it was going to rain, and it just seemed like a good idea."

Costume contest winners received mall merchandise gift certificates.

Winners in the group category were Dan Nicklese and Anthony Hastings, first; Chris Ruch family, second; and Chris Hampton, third.

In the category for trick-or-treaters ages 10 and up winners were Janal Schumer, Alana Newell and Regina Hagan.

And for trick-or-treaters under 10, the winners were Scott Glastetter, Lauren Bishop and Carly Trautwein.