Tyler Parks and Recreation held its 26th annual Fall Family Fun Festival on Thursday at the Glass Recreation Center. The free event drew hundreds of families for Halloween-themed activities, entertainment and chances to meet local organizations and businesses. Costumed characters included figures from the Netflix movie "KPop Demon Hunters," Stitch, Winnie the Pooh and a walking banana.
The festival featured about 40 vendors, along with face painting, balloon twisting, music, games, cotton candy, food trucks and bubbles. Children also received candy. Staci Lara, recreation supervisor at the center, said the event is meant to give something back to the community and help families build fall memories. She described it as a safe community event where city departments, organizations and businesses gather to share information.
The event has been a community tradition for more than 20 years. Some families attend every year, while others came for the first time. Lybertee Snowden said she attended with her 2-year-old daughter, who was dressed as Pebbles from "The Flintstones" and won first place in the costume contest. Snowden said she liked the kid-friendly atmosphere and the many tables with resources.