West Haven will host its first-ever Skeleton Fest from Oct. 12-31. The festival will highlight fun Halloween activities in a citywide celebration as part of the ongoing sustainability efforts to become certified under the SustainableCT initiative.
Skeleton Fest West Haven will include all of the activities that normally take place in the city in October—including the Historical Society’s Haunted Graveyard Tour and West Haven United’s Halloween Party on the Green—as well as some new ones like the Skeleton Fest Kick-Off Party. Events will take place on the three weekends leading up to Halloween on Thursday, Oct. 31.
“Skeleton Fest is a great event for West Haven for a number of reasons,” said Heather Scutti, host of the West Haven—Why Not? Facebook page and a newcomer to the city. Originally from Detroit, Scutti suggested the event because she saw the success that its neighboring town of Marshall, MI, experienced with its Skeleton Fest. “It will bring different groups of people together in a fun, family-friendly way; it promotes local businesses and other organizations; and ultimately, it helps to build a positive image for West Haven.”
In addition to Heather, the Skeleton Fest West Haven committee members include State Rep. Dorinda Borer (D-115), Marie Cox, Jane Whelan, and Marilyn Wilkes.
Local businesses are encouraged to sponsor a skeleton and/or one of the activities being planned. Sponsorship packages range from $50 to $1,000. A calendar of events and sponsorship packages are listed at skeletonfestwesthaven.org.
Skeleton Fest is being planned as a “placemaking” event to align with one of SustainableCT’s recommendations for building community and contributing to economic wellbeing by using arts and culture by diverse partners to strategically shape the physical and social character of a place. The initiative offers Connecticut municipalities a voluntary certification program that provides a wide-ranging menu of best practices aimed at helping them become thriving and resilient. West Haven adopted a resolution to join the initiative in May of 2018.
For Sponsorship Information, contact Heather Scutti at heatherscutti@gmail.com.To Volunteer, contact Jane Whelan at jfwhelan4@hotmail.com. Organizations planning a Halloween-themed public event can contact Marilyn Wilkes at whskeletonfest@gmail.com to list it on the Skeleton Fest website.
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