The River Falls Public Library hosted quite the Halloween affair on Tuesday, Oct. 31 with an interactive event titled “Gertie’s Garden Gadget Gone Wrong.”
Gertie and her wacky gadgets stemmed from the Haskins’ family and their search for a haunted house-like experience, but more child friendly.
A pumpkin patch puzzle arena that shows off the Haskin’s creativity and carving skills. Kaitlyn Doolittle/Star-Observer.
It initially began in 1986 with an on and off again attempts, but the volunteer crew of family and friends made a comeback for 2023, Gina Haskins said.
The 15-person crew consists of actors, puppet operators, pumpkin carvers and more than meets the eye for their attendees.
Gina Haskins explains the “Gertie’s Garden Gadget Gone Wrong” event with the help of a witch’s cauldron and its keys. The interactive affair has been a family and friends volunteer efforts for decades. Kaitlyn Doolittle/Star-Observer.
The crew completely transformed the lower level of the library to host 219 attendees, 70 of which were kids ages 3-7.
As soon as attendees enter the immersive world they embark on a journey that consists of witches, dirty sock monsters, dragon scales, gnomes, fungus and, of course, gadgets.
“Gertie’s Garden Gadget Gone Wrong” has a pair of woodland creatures to greet the incoming crowd. Kaitlyn Doolittle/Star-Observer.
River Falls Public Library director, Tanya Misselt, believes that experiences like these are a huge aid for literacy.
“For a kid to comprehend and repeat events, that’s all part of that literacy piece,” she said. “Creativity is jaw-dropping.”
The creatures that live in the sock drawer are on the look out for dragon scales for the witch’s brew. Kaitlyn Doolittle/Star-Observer.