ESTEVAN — The Souris Valley Museum celebrated another successful Spooky Museum event on Oct. 19, welcoming around 150 visitors for an afternoon of Halloween-themed activities and fun.
The event offered a variety of engaging attractions for families, but with it being a busy weekend in Estevan, the attendance was down this year compared to 200-300 in previous years.
The museum partnered with several local organizations. Returning for another year were the Estevan Area Literacy Group, the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum and the Estevan Public Library. Two new participants this year were the Estevan Arts Council and the Estevan Humane Society.
Melanie Memory, the museum's executive director and curator, said each group had Halloween-themed activities and entertainment for the guests.
The library supplied Halloween take-home craft kits. The literacy group offered crafts and treats. The EAGM created a table racetrack for kids. The Estevan Arts Council contributed by having one of their board members lead interactive puppet scripts, which proved to be a hit with the children. The Estevan Humane Society brought along their adoptable pets and sold merchandise to raise awareness and support for their cause.
The museum itself hosted a scavenger hunt, a popular activity that had visitors searching for hidden eyeballs throughout the building, each with a letter that needed to be unscrambled into a "Halloween" word.
"We decorated through the museum quite a bit more than we usually do," said Memory. "We had spider webs and dressed up all the mannequins in Halloween costumes."
Other highlights provided by the museum included a photo booth, Halloween-themed goodie bags and a cotton candy stand, where proceeds went toward the museum's locomotive restoration projects.
"That's just a little fundraiser for us. We're trying to raise money for our locomotive restoration," Memory said, adding that they are at about $12,000, with a goal for the project set at $35,000.
The event, which ran from 1-3 p.m., attracted many parents and children dressed up in a variety of costumes, adding to the festive spirit.
"It was a good day overall," Memory said. "Lots of people came in their costumes, and parents dressed up with their kids."
With the Halloween season in full swing, the museum is already preparing for its next set of activities, including participation in the city's Spooktacular Treats for Everyone next weekend.
Memory noted they are having a lot of Halloween- and fall-themed activities throughout October.
For more information on upcoming events, visit the Souris Valley Museum's website at sourisvalleymuseum.com or follow them on social media.
