Johnson: Upcoming weekend abounds with activities

All weekend long there will be a Pop-Up Haunted House in the old Sterling Market. On Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27-28, 5:30-8:30 p.m., there will be showings suitable for adults and young adults. There will be two matinee options that will be family friendly: Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 28-29, both from noon-3 p.m.

The Sunday showing will be by donation; no one will get turned away and paying it forward for other families to attend would be a generous thing to do. There will be a $5 entrance fee, and this is not a drop off event; kids must be accompanied by an adult.

On Saturday, Oct. 28, 1-4 p.m., there is an Antique Roadshow Appraisal Day at the historical society’s Holcomb House. This is a fundraising event sponsored by the Johnson Historical Society to benefit the Johnson Public Library. Bring paintings, art work, dolls, gold, silver, jewelry, furniture, china, porcelain, toys, and general antiques to be appraised by Mark “Buggyman” Ducharme, Ed Barnes, Michael and Maria Roosevelt and Tim Hunt. Each item being assessed will cost $5, and refreshments will be served. Spectators are welcome.

Also, on Saturday the 28th, Jenna’s Promise will be hosting a Trunk-or-Treat and Movie Night at Jenna’s House at 117 St. Johns St. This is a free community event, and all are welcome. There will be free ice cream, popcorn, lemonade, candy, and more. The trunk-or-treat event will be from 4-6 p.m., but trunk set up will begin at 3 p.m. If interested in participating in decorating your trunk and handing out candy, contact Jenna’s Promise. At 6 p.m. there will be a Halloween movie showing inside Jenna’s House.

On the morning of Sunday, Oct. 29, lace up your sneakers and pick out an aerodynamic costume, because the Johnson Recreation’s Halloween Fun Run & Walk is starting at 10 a.m. at Old Mill Park. There will be a 1K and 5K, and this event is as casual or as serious as you want to make it — there are always walkers who clump together to chat and stroll, and there are always competitive runners who huff and puff their way across the finish line, arms pumping, eye gaze focused. If you fall in either of these categories or somewhere in between, consider joining us. The 5K course goes around the park, then out and back on the rail trail, while the 1K route is a lap around the park. Treats will be provided to everyone.

Later on Sunday afternoon, there will be a Community Oven Costume Party on Legion Field on School Street. From 1-3 p.m., enjoy a collaboration of different sectors of Johnson coming together around Johnson’s oven. The oven committee will be serving up wood-fired hand pies, hot apple cider, coffee and cider donuts. The Johnson Public Library will be offering games in the field as well as a trick or treat activity table. The Vermont Studio Center will have a Halloween cookie decorating table, and the Johnson Woolen Mills sheep — Geronimo, Gelert and Gilead — will walk their way over to the field to join in on the festivities. Dave Langevin will play piano, while Carrie Cook plays bass, and there will be a leaf pile and rakes for kids and adults alike to play in. There will have a large tent set up for Sunday, so don’t shy away in foul weather. This event will be free and open to everyone.

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The selectboard has awarded the bid to add a bowled half-pipe to the big concrete feature in the SkatePark and Bike Track to Standard Construction. Owner Geoff Hall is excited to be adding onto the feature he helped build nearly 10 years ago. He will start the building process in the spring. Committee chair Casey Romero emailed the good news to riders last week. Jimmy Youssey replied, “You made my day!”

Another $5,000 needs to be raised, but the selectboard and skate park committee are confident this can be done before spring. This multi-year project turning into a reality is a bright note to everyone who has waited patiently for good news about the flood-damaged park. Stay tuned for word on the Park reopening.

— Jasmine Yuris, jasmine.yuris@gmail.com