Friday, November 3, 2023

Hootenanny Fun Enjoyed by All

Newport Rotary President Rachel Bell
is happy that the Hootenanny is here!
The 2023 Newport Halloween Hootenanny hosted more than 4,000 ghouls, goblins and fun-seekers at the Newport Little League Field and Town Park on October 31 according to its coordinators, Newport Rotary. After months of planning and fundraising, Newport Rotary and their Hootenanny Volunteers began event set-up over the weekend. Skirting forecasted rainy weather for the later evening, the event went on as planned with no affect on attendance or enthusiasm! 

Crowds flooded to the ever-popular free carnival food & drinks- hotdogs & fixin's, sno-cones, BIG pretzels, muffins, and halloween candy & prizes. Likewise, the kids (and a few adults spotted) enjoyed the 4 bouncy houses, 20+ carnival games, music & DJ, line dancing, 3 costume contests, sack races, hayride, movie in the park, race cars and fire engines, and the super-spooky haunted house. To top it off, local singing talent/ race car driver 17 year old Carsyn Gillikin (stage name Carsyn Gray) performed several of her songs at the DJ booth!   

The Hootenanny is a success because of the Newport community supports it. It cannot happen without our fantastic business & community sponsors and volunteers. On-field volunteers of note this year include Newport Pig Cooking, Newport Little League, Newport Rotary & friends, and Hope Mission, who provided 8 volunteers! Proceeds from the Hootenanny help support service projects around the Newport community, including, most recently a dozen Little Free Libraries, establishment of "Clara's Closet" teacher supply closet at Newport Elementary School, and partnership with the Sheriff's Department to update their equipment to emergency locate elderly or autistic persons with wandering symptoms.        

Thank you all and see you next year at the Hootenanny.

Thursday, October 26, 2023

2023 Hootenanny Updates

Newport Rotary is continuing coordination, preparation and improvements for the 2023 Halloween Hootenanny. Event Co-Chair Rick Smith says that in addition to the usual Hootenanny free food, drinks, and carnival games several Hootenanny favorites will be back for this years event. Highlights are the Haunted House, Hayride and the DJ Dance Party, all crowd favorites. Several new carnival games are being added with some being retired. A new addition this year will be a "Halloween Movie in the Park", sponsored by the Town of Newport, which will be running from 7-9 pm in the Town Park Area. There may be limited seating, so attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and folding chairs for the movie. 

Sunday, September 10, 2023

Orange Cards are in the Neighborhood

The orange cards are back! 

Newport Rotarians will be out and about in the community over the next month canvassing for the support of our Hootenanny business and community sponsors. Sponsor levels and benefits remain unchanged from 2022. Due to inflation affecting candy, prize and food costs, our volunteers will be requesting that sponsors consider a donation in the next highest giving category, if possible. The Hootenanny is one of the things that makes our community special and we want to keep it FREE for participants. We encourage everyone to contribute, if they can. 

Are you getting excited about the Hootenanny?

A scene from the 2022 Newport Halloween Hootenanny!

WE ARE! Newport Rotarians are hard at work, making plans, ordering supplies (tricks & treats), getting applicable approvals, and doing all those other things that has made the last 50 odd years of Hootenannys a NEWPORT THING! Join us is being thankful for what you have and looking forward to sharing the excitement of community with others during the October 31 event. It's also FUN!  

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

2022 Hootenanny is the best yet!

The crowds enjoy the 2022 Hootenanny
 under the lights!
photo credit: Bevin Wall
The reviews are in- the 2022 Newport Halloween Hootenanny was the best one yet! With over 4,000 attendees and volunteers, the event showcased the business and civic spirit of the Newport community, who all turned out and contributed their time and money to keep this a free event for the community. 

The event features free hotdogs & drinks, popcorn, sno-cones, and Halloween candy and prizes for each of the 15+ carnival games. Added attractions included the Haunted House, the tractor pulled hay-ride, displays of fire trucks, race cars and specialty vehicles, demonstrations by Globetrotter Dexter Williams and America's Got Talent contestant twirler Joel Claudio, and the always popular costume contests.           

Thanks to everyone who attended, sponsored and helped at the event! 

See Hootenanny photos here

Saturday, August 27, 2022

Support the Hootenanny - One of the special events that makes Newport GREAT!


To the Newport Business Community. Newport Rotarians will be out and about in the community over the next months canvassing for the support of our Hootenanny business and community sponsors. Co-Organizer Rick Smith with Newport Rotary advises the event will be bigger and better this year, with no expected COVID restrictions. Also, some new games are being rolled out and some other retired. 

For our sponsors, Sponsor levels and benefits remain unchanged from 2022. Due to inflation affecting candy, prize and food costs, our volunteers will be requesting that sponsors consider a donation in the next highest giving category, if possible. 

The Hootenanny is one of the things that makes our community special and we want to keep it FREE for participants. We need everyone in the Newport community to help us support and staff the event.