ALBERTON/SUPERIOR – Halloween is just around the corner and the schools in Alberton and Superior are revving up with parties for their students before the big day of candy, costumes, ghosts and goblins.

The party at the Superior Elementary gym on Saturday was entirely for the younger kids. Though a few older students were volunteers or chaperones, middle to high school-age kids were in short supply.

“There were preschool … to junior high,” said Donna Chambers, a volunteer at the party. “I’d say there was a good turn out.”

The party had games, snacks and a costume contest. The games were a variety kids of any age could excel at like a bean bag toss, guessing games, fish-for-a-prize and miniature bowling. Prizes for the games consisted of small toys, plastic rings and bracelets.

The children of Superior came in a wide variety of costumes, from animals to super heroes and princesses to monsters. Makeup and masks accentuated some while others went au natural. There was also facepainting available to add a touch of Halloween to any costume, or something more costume-specific like sparkles to a fairy’s cheeks.

To help prevent kids getting separated from parents, and entertain the kids, a clown, played by Nicki Tourtelette, was in attendance to give out helium balloons which would be wrapped around a child’s wrist.

Admission to the Superior party was one can of food per family. According to Chambers, the cans would be donated to the Food Bank of Montana.

Otherwise, the event was just a way for kids to have fun. Chambers said it was entirely organized by parents and was endorsed by the school to use the space.

“It was [a way] to have a nice safe place for Halloween,” said Chambers.

Superior’s was not the only Halloween party being held at Mineral County schools, there was also one held Saturday night in Alberton.

The party in Alberton was in the main school building’s cafeteria. While also tailored mainly for smaller children, this party had elements people of any age could enjoy. Put on by the Alberton Parent-Teacher Association, it had something for everyone. Though it had similar games, snacks and a costume contest, this party added in a haunted house, a bake sale, photo booth and silent auction.

While good fun for the kids, this event was also a fundraiser for the PTA. Families would buy tickets which could be used to play games, buy food and could be exchanged for most of the other services, except the silent auction.

Unique to Alberton’s Halloween party was a form of miniature golf, where participants needed to put an eye through a Jack-o-lantern’s mouth.

There were also selection games to find the sucker with a colored end to win a prize. Prizes included bookmarks, small toys, candy and assorted knick-knacks.

The haunted house was set up by Alberton High School’s juniors and ran through the school’s halls and classrooms before letting out near the gym. Entry was limited to small groups going through at one time and group numbers were called out at intervals throughout the evening.

Both parties were resounding successes and families came and went throughout the evening. Though they may have been more fun for the kids, watching kids run around playing and having fun has its own value of entertainment and fun. In all, both events perfectly captured one of the spirits of Halloween in letting kids get sugared up, run around and have fun.