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.