Halloween and blazing Jack-O lanterns on Marco

Conditions were perfect for ghost, ghoulies and goblins to come out to spook the neighborhood and collect their treats in Collier County’s favorite Halloween destination.

This Saturday night a full moon helped to set the stage for “All Hallow’s Eve,” when even a blazing Jack-O’-Lantern was seen flying high in the sky from West to East.

The neighborhood most sought by Halloween’s participants, is a three block area between bald Eagle Drive and the Tommie Barfield Elementary and Marco Charter Middle School, well familiar to locals bringing their kids to school as well as children of all ages from Naples, Golden Gate and as far away as Immokalee.

All week the neighborhood prepares for the festivities with decorations and background music to send chills down the even most hardened goblins. Empty lots are mowed to provide parking for the many cars and minivans laden with kids from near and far and solar lighting placed along the sidewalks to safely guide the children along the sidewalks.

It’s like a giant block party for young and old, where not only candies are passed out to those scary enough to apply, but free hamburgers and hotdogs, cake and refreshments, provided by the presiding neighbors, make this a fabulous get-together for all.

Wes P. is Bermuda Road’s official ghost counter and reports a record turn-out this year of 618 in a little over 2.5 hours. Jamie S. sent her son for additional candies when her 550 pieces of goodies ran out by 7:30 p.m. Monika S. went to buy more supplies when the 160 hotdogs and 50 hamburgers cooked up by Quirico W. were not enough to provide for all.

Ask any of the locals of Marco Island why they live here and you will surely get a response that would take you back in time. The response being that Marco is still a safe place to raise children, a place that tens-of-thousands each year work their whole year to visit, a magical place where sunsets and full moons are only rivaled by friendly neighbors and Jack-O’-Lanterns in the sky.