Children's event at park will be a boo-tiful thing

A pre-Halloween celebration for children 12 and younger will be held next weekend at Lafreniere Park, 3000 Downs Blvd., Metairie.

Called "Park-A-Boo," the event will be held Friday from 5 to 8:30 p.m., Saturday from 3 to 8:30 p.m., and Oct. 25 from 2 to 7 p.m. in the Pavilion Island area of the park.

Sponsored by the Jefferson Chamber Foundation and the Kenner North Kiwanis Club, the event includes trick or treating, face painting, a costume contest, a fun house, refreshments and entertainment.

Bob DeViney is honorary chairman of the three-day event. Sal LaRock, a member of the Kenner North Kiwanis Club, is organizing it.

LaRock said the New Orleans Zephyrs mascots Boudreaux and Clotile will be on hand, along with Hugo and the Honeybees from the New Orleans Hornets.

Representatives from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office and Jefferson Fire Fighters Association will participate, as will students from Bonnabel Magnet Academy High School.

"We hope this will be successful so that we can plan on having this as an annual event for children throughout the area," LaRock said. "The event is scheduled the week before Halloween, so that it will not interfere with other Halloween parties and celebrations."

Admission costs $5 for children 3 to 12, $7 for adults and children older than 12. Children 3 and younger will be admitted free.

For 25 or more children, the cost is $4 per person, with adults paying $6 each.

All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Proceeds from Park-A-Boo will go to the youth and civic projects of the Kiwanis Club and to the Jefferson Chamber Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Jefferson's Chamber of Commerce. The foundation is working on creating a charter school for at-risk students.

For more information and tickets, visit www.park-a-boo.com.

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